Doctor Who Series Eight!

[dayday0819]

*Probably a lot of spoilers ahead*

So, I just watched Deep Breath! Whovians, what did y'all think of it? Do you like Capaldi? What are your predictions/hopes for the rest of the season? I just really want to talk to someone about it and my friends aren't caught up yet, so let's discuss!

[TimCox98]

It was it a bit rubbish there was no real story line just a kind of mish mash. There were a few funny bits but I expected better

[dayday0819]

That's sort of how I felt too, which is weird because it's fairly uncharacteristic of Moffat. I really didn't how much he reused! The more I watch of him, the more I realize how bad he is at coming up with his own stuff. But then he's so great at the twists and the emotional stuff (Eleven calling Clara? I sobbed) that you sort of have to love him.

[Batgirl]

there were elements i liked about it, like getting more on the clockwork droids and the potential link to fires, and i certainly welcome a new master villain.

 

that said, moffats sexism is so overwhelming that i find it increasingly hard to block out while watching anything he works on.

[dayday0819]

Agreed, his sexism is absolutely ridiculous. He basically turned River into the Doctor's plaything, and made her nothing but a romantic interest for the Doctor. She had so much potential to be so cool and such a strong female character, and he ruined it. And now there's another middle-aged lady claiming to be the Doctor's wife... just give it a rest!

The new title sequence is really cool though. Did you know that it was almost entirely based off of one a motion graphics designer made to showcase his talent to potential customers? Basically, this guy's fanart because the new title screen.

[Neopets9738368]

I kinda felt "meh" but I did like the developing storyline when the Doctor was in the alley rambling on about his face and insinuating there is a reason why he chose that face.... Which we saw before, in Pompeii. I'm curious as to how that storyline is going to evolve, since nothing is coincidental in DW.

[esem17]

I actually really liked it. I thought the whole scene at the restaraunt was wonderful when we had the doctor and clara sitting there conversing all witty and funny. Then there was the plot, which was weak to say the least, but I feel that this episode was not about the plot. It was about a new doctor showing up and one many people might be hesitant to accept since he isn't a young pup like matt or david was. Granted, the eleventh hour was a well put together episode for introductions and plotlines, but the one question that really maters is this:

 

Were you not entertained?!

 

I know I was.

[010_pipsy_010]

I have to say, I wasn't very keen on this opening episode. I liked the return of the clockwork repair droids as they seemed to add a sense of humour to the otherwise quite dull and predictable episode. However, I am not a fan of Steven Moffat as a writer and much prefeered Russell T. Davies. Steven Moffat does not seem to have the great imagination that a show such as Doctor Who requires to remain fresh and entertaining. As to Peter Capaldi as the Doctor, my initial impression at the end of last season was one of shock and slight surprise at the choice. having seen him in his first full episode I have to say that my initial impression still stands. I do not feel he is right for the part (however, I also felt this about Tennant and Smith when I first saw them!)

 

Overall, I wasn't very impressed with this first episode and can only hope that the storylines improve dramatically and that the relationship between the new Doctor and Clara keeps the audience entertained.

[dayday0819]

I'm very interested in how they'll explain why he chose that face, but I'm also worried that moffat will do his typical thing and give a half explanation that doesn't really make any sense.

esem, I definitely see what you mean about this episode not really needing to have a plot. The part at the restaurant was wonderful! I'm really excited about Capaldi, I 100% agree with Moffat that we've done the whole goofy, young pup thing and I think we now need someone older and more serious.

Honestly though, I was not a fan of the return of the clockwork droids. As a side plot or a small part of an episode I would've liked it, but making the entire show about it just seemed unoriginal, because we've literally already seen this before. I also don't like Moffat. I think he has the imagination for it to a point, but he constantly reuses old ideas, such as the clockwork droids. However, he's so great at a lot of the emotional and complex side of it, which I do like. Davies I loved because of the way he added depth to plots and people without being cliche. Moffat does make things interesting, but he often overdoes it.

What do you guys think about bringing back Gallifrey?

[Batgirl]

"but I'm also worried that moffat will do his typical thing and give a half explanation that doesn't really make any sense. "

 

^ so much this

 

if it does make any sense, i will bet right now that it means he had, or will have help. if its all him, it will be another 'i had a great idea for an outfit, but couldnt sew it, couldnt be bothered to finish it and wont pay a better tailor to do it' situation.

 

and if our new villain (whom i am calling queen of hearts for now) has NO motive at all except some obsession with the doctor, i will be really disappointed.

 

as for gallifrey, they have to address that somehow.

[dayday0819]

'i had a great idea for an outfit, but couldnt sew it, couldnt be bothered to finish it and wont pay a better tailor to do it'

I'm laughing so hard because that's honestly the best way to describe him that I've ever heard. He always has these absolutely brilliant ideas, then realizes that he has no way to deliver on it or have it make sense.

For example, take bringing back Gallifrey. I think it was a good idea in theory, but in actuality I really don't like it. It very much undermines the past 7 seasons, and then he explains it with a really 'convenient', completely nonsensical paradox.

 

As for the queen of hearts, (I love the name!) I know that Capaldi was very insistent that there won't be any romance between the companion(s) and his doctor, so I'm hoping he extends that to all other characters too. Between Rose, Martha, Amy, River, and a million other smaller companions, the whole 'everyone falls in love with the Doctor' thing has been played out. I too am going to be real bummed if she's just some new random chick who loves him.

[Batgirl]

yes, capaldi was thankfully, was and afaik he will also be wearing his wedding ring once hes formally in his outfit as per end of ep. i did think the message about it was heavyhanded in the ep overall though - about the 2nd or 3rd time, its like ok, we get it, if we dont like the new doc its the wimminfolks fault and it means we are shallow and such, thanks.

 

bringing back gallifrey just creates so many problems, not the least of which is that in the current timeline, nothing with amy pond ever should have occurred (since the cracks calling out to her never needed to have happened)

 

 

romance, on any level, would only be forgiven for QOH if 1. shes gallifreyan or otherwise suitably longlived and they could actually have a relationship or 2 (this is NOT a spoiler, i have no clue if anyone but me even thinks this might be the case) if its madame pompadour, who was promised by the doctor that he would return.

 

im also curious what the callback on capaldi will be, since i cosplay a priestess from fires of pompeii somewhat often.

 

overall i have nothing against him capaldi specifically and am sure he will be enoyable, but i just cant get excited about anything moffat does with reservations and i am firmly in the 'we are way way way overdue on diversity in doctors' camp. not just genderwise, but in all ways. there is, imo, almost no character more easily diversified than one we know regenerates completely each time and i consider the lack of movement there to be tragic. moffats claim that casting a woman as a doctor would be like casting a man as the queen on england still floors me with its tidal wave of stupid.

[dayday0819]

Honestly, I was so angry at the 50th when Gallifrey came back. Honestly, it just makes no sense and completely destroys everything that's happened. The entire reboot has been about the Doctor dealing with the aftermath of the Time War and so much of his motivation and character development comes from that. Now it's basically all meaningless, because you know that the Time Lords are still around.

Honestly, I'm just not feeling romance with the Queen of Hearts in any way. I'm just very over it and Capaldi isn't interested in it either. Also, a lot of Deep Breath focused on how Clara always saw the Doctor as her 'boyfriend,' and now she no longer should because 12 isn't her boyfriend and isn't interested in being so. So then why would 12 be okay with being romantically involved with the Queen of Hearts?

Personally, I like having the Doctor be male, but I'm still open to having a female or otherwise gendered Doctor. The thing I don't like is how against it Moffat is. It's just another example of how sexist, unwilling to change, and unoriginal he is.

[Batgirl]

it doesnt make sense

 

and id prefer QOH wasnt romantic, i only mean my level of annoyance would be lower in the scenarios i listed

 

capaldi is very against flirting with clara, but that may be about her age and not about some hard limit he has on the character overall.

 

and i have a theory about QOH but i think i should try to sort out the spoiler tag so noone sees it who doesnt want to. its not a spoiler since i have no idea if i am right, but still....

 

 

wow i am failing with the spoiler tag

 

ill post it in white, highlight if interested

<spoiler> i think the 'heaven garden' is actually the QOH's tardis and that she is gallifreyan</spoiler>

 

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[lizzyjane101]

there were elements i liked about it, like getting more on the clockwork droids and the potential link to fires, and i certainly welcome a new master villain.

 

that said, moffats sexism is so overwhelming that i find it increasingly hard to block out while watching anything he works on.

 

Casually chiming in here. Regarding the sexism, that's a huge thing that puts me off Moffat's writing. He's brilliant at coming up with ideas. All the one shots during seasons 2, 3, and 4 are proof of his creativity. All the best episodes like Empty Child, Blink, Midnight, Silence in the Library, etc. Absolutely loved them. But he can't sustain ideas because he seems to have no sense of character (the importance of empathy in writing and such). This is particularly obvious in his treatment of women. The whole attitude of 'I can't think of a way to make a female interesting, so I'll make her "feisty", whatever the hell that means'. I hate that word. It's really just a man being lazy and implying that any kind of attitude in a woman is a point of interest because women don't have personalities.

 

The character development is a huge problem in general, even in the men. His writing just doesn't elicit an emotional response from me for the mere fact of his inability to commit. The lure of writing in the context of time travel is that you can sort of do whatever you want. The problem is, when you kill people off and then say they're not dead because they- were secretly a robot/ existed in a parallel universe/ went back in time and didn't die/ only part of them died/ WERE REMEMBERED WHICH IN SOME WARPED WORLD MAKES SOMEONE MAGICALLY NOT DEAD (sorry, that's the main thing that bugs me)- the effect is really lessened. There's no sense of consequences in moffat's writing, which is a serious problem, because Davies always made that very clear. There are consequences to people's actions and time can't always be rewritten.

 

'i had a great idea for an outfit, but couldnt sew it, couldnt be bothered to finish it and wont pay a better tailor to do it'

I'm laughing so hard because that's honestly the best way to describe him that I've ever heard. He always has these absolutely brilliant ideas, then realizes that he has no way to deliver on it or have it make sense.

For example, take bringing back Gallifrey. I think it was a good idea in theory, but in actuality I really don't like it. It very much undermines the past 7 seasons, and then he explains it with a really 'convenient', completely nonsensical paradox.

 

As for the queen of hearts, (I love the name!) I know that Capaldi was very insistent that there won't be any romance between the companion(s) and his doctor, so I'm hoping he extends that to all other characters too. Between Rose, Martha, Amy, River, and a million other smaller companions, the whole 'everyone falls in love with the Doctor' thing has been played out. I too am going to be real bummed if she's just some new random chick who loves him.

 

Yes! That's the perfect analogy. Simply perfect. Brilliant ideas, no follow-through. Angels In Manhattan, classic case of a great idea that he milked a little too much and completely destroyed.

And that word 'convenient'. Exactly what I've been saying about the traps of time-travel writing. Moffat doesn't seem to understand that just because you could do a completely out there, shocking plot twist, doesn't mean you should. Those kinds of things are very dangerous and he seems to wield his pen sort of irresponsibly. He does things because they're convenient, not because he's really really thought about it.

 

One of the reasons I was so excited for Capaldi to be the next doctor (apart from the fact that I've seen him in other stuff and adore him) was because it gave them the opportunity to move away from the romance. The relationship with Rose was built up over a long period of time and worked really well. Martha was unrequited admiration, which is completely understandable considering David Tennant's face. Donna was, shock horror, a perfectly capable young woman with whom he had an entirely platonic relationship with. Then Moffat came in and every single ruddy female had a crush on the Doctor and he flirted with everyone and it was really very annoying. It got boring very quickly. What I really want is just one season where there's no flirting at all, just as a bit of a detox. He's over 1000 years old by now. He doesn't need that constant flirtation. He's better than that.

 

Batgirl, you could be right about QOH, it's a sound theory. I'm really not keen on the whole Gallifrey thing myself. It does undermine all the character building Davies did with the Doctor. Grumble grumble, Moffat.

 

 

Okay, this is getting long and I haven't even addressed what I came here for, which is the episode. Basically, WOW DINOSAUR, BIG, SO EXPENSIVE, LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, CRASH BANG and now for something completely different. Oh, look. Clockwork people. interesting concept, absolutely no plot. All the characters are so tokenistic. I do like Jenny and I liked how Vastra dealt with the whole age thing. Strax is a bit of comic relief (love him in Crimson Horror). But yeah, not a big fan of the first episode. I had mixed feelings about Into Dalek. It reminded me a bit of Star Trek where they had the definite 'these are the Klingons, they are the bad guys. Evil.' and then voila, they have Klingons on staff on the Voyager gen 2. I guess if it's done well, it could work, but Moffat better tread carefully because daleks are evil. He better have something up his sleeve to develop them as otherwise.

[Neopets9738368]

This is totally random, but since Jenna is leaving I think it would be cool if The Doctor's daughter made a reappearance (like what ever happened to her?), and she was the new companion.

 

I like Capaldi so far.

[lizzyjane101]

This is totally random, but since Jenna is leaving I think it would be cool if The Doctor's daughter made a reappearance (like what ever happened to her?), and she was the new companion.

 

I like Capaldi so far.

 

Yes! omg, that would be so cool! So much potential for character development. And yes. Capaldi is fabulous. I was so excited when he got cast as Caecilius. I fell in love with him in Local Hero, such a cutie patootie.

[Neopets9738368]

Yes! omg, that would be so cool! So much potential for character development. And yes. Capaldi is fabulous. I was so excited when he got cast as Caecilius. I fell in love with him in Local Hero, such a cutie patootie.

Right?! :) Since this Doctor is all business and no romance he needs another TimeLord to tear the universe up with. Who better than his own daughter? Come on Moffat!

[lizzyjane101]

Right?! :) Since this Doctor is all business and no romance he needs another TimeLord to tear the universe up with. Who better than his own daughter? Come on Moffat!

 

Ugh. The want. The latest episode just aired in Australia, the one with the bank. I love how matter-of-fact he is. Completely clueless about the mating rituals of humans :P

'late for a shelf?'

[nicolelouise]

Anybody still commenting here? Sorry, but, what? Jenna's leaving? Sugar on a stick! She's only been here five minutes! Well, it feels like it to me. As for everything people have mentioned:

1) Yes, miss Russell's writing immensely. Having said that, the episodes that have scared me the most witless have all come from Moffat's pen and, because of the very fact that they scared me and I don't like poking at shadows, I've not analysed them too much. The ones that haven't scared me have mostly left me confused.

2) Really like the fact that there is no romance happening. It's not necessary right now.

3) Slowly warming up to Mr Capaldi. I wasn't sure to begin with, but I've seen the twinkle in his eye now, and I trust that he's going to do something completely different and great with the role.

4) Was very nonplussed by the last episode I saw. To me, there was no moral dilemma whatsoever, even though it was shoved down our throat that there was one and Clara was so desperately conflicted. What happened at the end of the episode was both beautiful and nonsensical. In a stupid sense. My family all sat around and looked at each other and just went, "What??"

5) Hoping that the next episode about the Orient Express hits the mark and delivers.

[lizzyjane101]

Anybody still commenting here? Sorry, but, what? Jenna's leaving? Sugar on a stick! She's only been here five minutes! Well, it feels like it to me. As for everything people have mentioned:

1) Yes, miss Russell's writing immensely. Having said that, the episodes that have scared me the most witless have all come from Moffat's pen and, because of the very fact that they scared me and I don't like poking at shadows, I've not analysed them too much. The ones that haven't scared me have mostly left me confused.

2) Really like the fact that there is no romance happening. It's not necessary right now.

3) Slowly warming up to Mr Capaldi. I wasn't sure to begin with, but I've seen the twinkle in his eye now, and I trust that he's going to do something completely different and great with the role.

4) Was very nonplussed by the last episode I saw. To me, there was no moral dilemma whatsoever, even though it was shoved down our throat that there was one and Clara was so desperately conflicted. What happened at the end of the episode was both beautiful and nonsensical. In a stupid sense. My family all sat around and looked at each other and just went, "What??"

5) Hoping that the next episode about the Orient Express hits the mark and delivers.

 

I haven't been on TDN in a while, but as long as I'm alive, this thread will continue to be relevant.

Yep, this has been confirmed as her last series. She got two, so about average really.

 

Moffat is good at scary. I think I mentioned earlier his one offs in series' 1, 2, 3, and 4. They're all fantastic. The problem he has, I think, is character development. When he was using other people's characters he was phenomenal, but when he's left to write his own some holes appear. His ideas are fantastic. I would've been about 9 or 10 when series 1 aired and that was when I discovered my phobia of gas masks. I couldn't watch the second episode, I was just too scared. It's the only time I've ever had nightmares because of a t.v show.

Yes! It just got so boring. I'm excited to see who the next companion is. I really really want River to be a proper main companion and she would be perfect for 12 because they're better age-wise. Unfortunately, I don't think that will happen.

Capaldi is a fabulous actor and I adore him to bits <3

Don't even get me started on this one. I don't quite know how to explain it, but there seems to be a trend lately in film where a hero has to make a terrible decision along the lines of 'one versus many'. Rather than making the difficult decision, the hero backs down from the responsibility and basically goes 'okay, well I guess the world will just have to burn'. Take 'The Wedding of River Song' for example. I thought that whole thing was so ooc. As if River would put her own suffering before the fate of the entire universe. It always just so happens that it works out in the end and both the one and the many are saved. If actual physics applied in Moffat's world, then that episode would have gone completely differently. People were dying already from the tides. Clara chose one creature, albeit an important and majestic creature, over the lives of every single person on Earth. I'm sorry, but the way it just hatched, flew away, and left us with a convenient new moon was just unrealistic. I didn't like the way that decision was portrayed as a choice between selfishness and compassion, because that's not what it was.

 

Anyway, sorry for the rant. Such negativity. I'm super excited for the next season, I think it could be marvellous. So many possibilities.

[Koakuma_Heaven]

Hello to my fellow TDN Whovians *waves*

 

This season overall has left me....meh, each individual episode has been disappointing but there's been some glimpses of potential awesome that have kept me watching in the hopes there'll be some payoff. The glimpses of a 'bad' or at least questionably moral Doctor lead to some interesting ideas and i'd have love to seen the Doctor fighting his own impulses- possibly intentionally planted by the Time Lords- we don't know who sent him that regeneration energy through the crack, but it just seems to have led to 'grumpy doctor' rather than any interesting character development.

Gonna share my thoughts on each episode now, feel free to ignore my rant and obviously SPOILERS for each ep ^^

 

Deep Breath-

Some funny lines and the 'who's is this face'? thing seemed interesting at the time, was hoping it was setting up the series plot but it doesn't seem so. The clockwork robots were a good callback but felt a little forced into a so-so 'mystery' plot. The whole Clara-audience surrogate 'omg icky gross old Doctor' thing I found very offensive, ok so some people did hold that opinion but did you need to get your soapbox and bash the whole fandom? (off-topic: as a hardcore Metal Gear fan the idea that fangirls don't find middle-aged or older men attractive is hilarious, 2 words- Big Boss). Overall: Not great, not awful. OK

 

Into the Dalek-

aka Doctor Who does Fantastic Voyage. Again it was ok, not much to say really, except that the 'the Doctor and the daleks are alike' thing has been done before and much more subtly. Also the doctor's not always been keen on soldiers but he's had companions and interactions with them before and never been so completely dismissive, seems a bit OOC. The inside of a dalek was not nearly as interesting looking as it should've been. Overall: Meh, forgettable.

 

Robots of Sherwood-

Just awful. Ok so the Doctor acknowledged that everything was cliche and the forest looked nothing like Sherwood forest- but then it really was sherwood forest and it was all real! Just acknowledging how stupid that is doesn't make it ok. (I grew up in Nottingham so most Robin Hood adaptations already have the disadvantage of being associated with awful primary school trips and Americans asking 'do you know Robin Hood?' but even by those standards this episode was terrible) Overall: My new worst episode of New Who, congrats Moffat you beat Love & Monsters and The Doctor's Daughter.

 

Listen-

Great atmosphere and set-up, back to what I feel Moffat does best, individual episodes with creative and creepy ideas. Let down by the ending unfortunately, partially for the non-reveal (there never was a monster) and partially for the million questions brought up by the ending (how did they get to Gallifrey?How does Clara understand Gallifreyan? Why are Time Lords wearing Victorian-ish fashion? Why is the kid a brunette (tho 1 being blond might just be longstanding fanon)). Overall: Good, could've been great if not for the let down ending.

 

Time Heist-

I liked it, a solid stand alone episode with some fun moments and a fairly creative monster, not one of the best episodes ever but definitely not one of the worst. overall: :)

 

The Caretaker-

Another ok-ish one, I could really do without the relationship drama between Clara and Danny and having adult writers try to write modern day 'normal' schookids can be pretty painful. That said it had some funny moments and I did like Clara's immediate response to worry about the kids. Also did anyone else think the villain looked like he'd got lost on the way to Robot Wars? overall: so-so.

 

Kill The Moon-

Really, Doctor Who? an anti-abortion message? Really? Also I'm pretty sure we did this already and better with the star whale episode in S6. Overall: NOPE

 

Mummy on the Orient Express-

I had the same problem as I had with the Titanic xmas special, namely- why? but I did like it overall, we saw a bit more of the more 'heartless' Doctor but he turned it around in the end, I kind of wanted Frank Skinner's character to be the villain, it felt like it was being hinted at at first but not to be. overall: Enjoyable but forgetful

 

Flatline-

Interesting concept and some great lines (the 2Dis killed me xD) and I really liked the interaction between Clara and the Doctor in this one, could've been a little scarier/less silly (how on earth would a train hurt the TARDIS, even if it's tiny it's the TARDIS!) but I enjoyed it. Overall: pretty good.

 

In the Forest of the Night-

I can't decide if the child actors were all awful or if it was the lines they'd been given, the 'Save The Trees!!!!' message and return of the missing sister were unbearably saccharine and I kept hoping the fairies from Torchwood would show up and steal a few kids. Overall: So sweet and kiddy I have toothache.

 

 

 

TL;DR- Capaldi good but has very little to work with, episodes that feel more like a series of Captain Planet and ugh, child actors, but I still want to see the finale because the background plot seems the most interesting.

[lizzyjane101]

Hello to my fellow TDN Whovians *waves*

 

This season overall has left me....meh, each individual episode has been disappointing but there's been some glimpses of potential awesome that have kept me watching in the hopes there'll be some payoff. The glimpses of a 'bad' or at least questionably moral Doctor lead to some interesting ideas and i'd have love to seen the Doctor fighting his own impulses- possibly intentionally planted by the Time Lords- we don't know who sent him that regeneration energy through the crack, but it just seems to have led to 'grumpy doctor' rather than any interesting character development.

Gonna share my thoughts on each episode now, feel free to ignore my rant and obviously SPOILERS for each ep ^^

 

Deep Breath-

Some funny lines and the 'who's is this face'? thing seemed interesting at the time, was hoping it was setting up the series plot but it doesn't seem so. The clockwork robots were a good callback but felt a little forced into a so-so 'mystery' plot. The whole Clara-audience surrogate 'omg icky gross old Doctor' thing I found very offensive, ok so some people did hold that opinion but did you need to get your soapbox and bash the whole fandom? (off-topic: as a hardcore Metal Gear fan the idea that fangirls don't find middle-aged or older men attractive is hilarious, 2 words- Big Boss). Overall: Not great, not awful. OK

 

Into the Dalek-

aka Doctor Who does Fantastic Voyage. Again it was ok, not much to say really, except that the 'the Doctor and the daleks are alike' thing has been done before and much more subtly. Also the doctor's not always been keen on soldiers but he's had companions and interactions with them before and never been so completely dismissive, seems a bit OOC. The inside of a dalek was not nearly as interesting looking as it should've been. Overall: Meh, forgettable.

 

Robots of Sherwood-

Just awful. Ok so the Doctor acknowledged that everything was cliche and the forest looked nothing like Sherwood forest- but then it really was sherwood forest and it was all real! Just acknowledging how stupid that is doesn't make it ok. (I grew up in Nottingham so most Robin Hood adaptations already have the disadvantage of being associated with awful primary school trips and Americans asking 'do you know Robin Hood?' but even by those standards this episode was terrible) Overall: My new worst episode of New Who, congrats Moffat you beat Love & Monsters and The Doctor's Daughter.

 

Listen-

Great atmosphere and set-up, back to what I feel Moffat does best, individual episodes with creative and creepy ideas. Let down by the ending unfortunately, partially for the non-reveal (there never was a monster) and partially for the million questions brought up by the ending (how did they get to Gallifrey?How does Clara understand Gallifreyan? Why are Time Lords wearing Victorian-ish fashion? Why is the kid a brunette (tho 1 being blond might just be longstanding fanon)). Overall: Good, could've been great if not for the let down ending.

 

Time Heist-

I liked it, a solid stand alone episode with some fun moments and a fairly creative monster, not one of the best episodes ever but definitely not one of the worst. overall: :)

 

The Caretaker-

Another ok-ish one, I could really do without the relationship drama between Clara and Danny and having adult writers try to write modern day 'normal' schookids can be pretty painful. That said it had some funny moments and I did like Clara's immediate response to worry about the kids. Also did anyone else think the villain looked like he'd got lost on the way to Robot Wars? overall: so-so.

 

Kill The Moon-

Really, Doctor Who? an anti-abortion message? Really? Also I'm pretty sure we did this already and better with the star whale episode in S6. Overall: NOPE

 

Mummy on the Orient Express-

I had the same problem as I had with the Titanic xmas special, namely- why? but I did like it overall, we saw a bit more of the more 'heartless' Doctor but he turned it around in the end, I kind of wanted Frank Skinner's character to be the villain, it felt like it was being hinted at at first but not to be. overall: Enjoyable but forgetful

 

Flatline-

Interesting concept and some great lines (the 2Dis killed me xD) and I really liked the interaction between Clara and the Doctor in this one, could've been a little scarier/less silly (how on earth would a train hurt the TARDIS, even if it's tiny it's the TARDIS!) but I enjoyed it. Overall: pretty good.

 

In the Forest of the Night-

I can't decide if the child actors were all awful or if it was the lines they'd been given, the 'Save The Trees!!!!' message and return of the missing sister were unbearably saccharine and I kept hoping the fairies from Torchwood would show up and steal a few kids. Overall: So sweet and kiddy I have toothache.

 

 

 

TL;DR- Capaldi good but has very little to work with, episodes that feel more like a series of Captain Planet and ugh, child actors, but I still want to see the finale because the background plot seems the most interesting.

 

Yes! That's exactly the thing. Most of it isn't that bad, it's just meh, and meh in A show when you've got so much to work with is just not good enough. Hmm. I think maybe the grumpy doctor is more their attempt to return to his beginnings. This is kind of him starting again and the first Doctor was the same kind of 'stupid humans why?'

 

I still reckon they have to address the face thing eventually. They said it was significant. Even if it's just a matter of the Doctor reminding himself of important values he saw in Caecilius or something. TBH, I don't think Clara was that grossed out, just confused. I mean, she had a crush on the Doctor and suddenly she was forced to realise that he's actually really old. I can see why she'd be disconcerted. I did really like Vastra's reaction to it and how Clara came to terms with it relatively quickly, so I'm not that judgemental on that front. That being said, it's been a while since I saw the episode and I might be forgetting things.

 

Yes ugh. The problem with a lot of these episodes is that Moffat is trying too hard to be significant and emotional and they're just not things he's good at. He's the scary guy. Into dalek just seemed like he was trying too hard and not saying anything important. And yes. Subtlety is not his forte. I really don't like the whole hatred of soldiers thing. I get that he's traumatised by his past and no one's perfect, but you're right, it is ooc to be so hateful of people who give up their lives to protect others.

 

Haha, omg. It's just laziness. You can't write a terrible script and then say 'oh, it's meant to be terrible'. It's almost the same as making it 'ironic'. Doctor's Daughter wasn't great, but I wouldn't put it on the same level as Love and Monsters. That was just... the worst DW episode ever made. I just feel as though the quality and sophistication have seriously gone down since Davies left.

 

How did they get to Gallifrey indeed. That's one of the most blatent plot holes in the history of the series, which is really saying something after the infamous Angels Take Manhatten. It just can't be cannon. And yeah, the ending was really disappointing.

 

I was pleased with ime Heist. I really liked the creature and the idea was cool. There was no emotional attachment though and the whole thing was a bit flat. When the people supposedly died, I thought 'oh, I'm supposed to care, right?' But yes, one of the less disappointing episodes.

 

I think Mummy on the Orient Express was just gimicky. Like, hey it's a mummy... on the Orient Express... in space. I kind of liked it, but it wasn't that interesting.

 

I really liked Flatline, I thought the idea was really cool. Scientifically implausable, but I guess I can't be too hard on it in that regard.

 

In the Forest of the Night was just rubbish. I mean, first of all, solar flares aren't like that. Secondly, trees aren't like that. Also, maybe I missed some important dialoge, but I did not understand the whole missing sister/ fairy thing at all. And I was kind of put off by the whole 'schitzophrenia is totally natural and meds are evil' thing. I mean, what? If you're hearing voices, go to a doctor. The kid obviously had some kind of ptsd or something and yeah, maybe in her case the voices were some sort of supernatural thingy, but the generallisations the Doctor made TBH I found utterly moronic.

 

Eh, I don't hold out much hope for the QOH story arc, but maybe Moffat will impress us. What I am excited for is a new companion. I like Jenna, but her character is so very boring. But I've already ranted extensively on that matter, so I won't waste your time.

Anyway, I love talking to whovians about various opinions. Capaldi is fab and hopefully he can turn this underwhelming writing into something worthwhile.

[Koakuma_Heaven]

 

In the Forest of the Night was just rubbish. I mean, first of all, solar flares aren't like that. Secondly, trees aren't like that. Also, maybe I missed some important dialoge, but I did not understand the whole missing sister/ fairy thing at all. And I was kind of put off by the whole 'schitzophrenia is totally natural and meds are evil' thing. I mean, what? If you're hearing voices, go to a doctor. The kid obviously had some kind of ptsd or something and yeah, maybe in her case the voices were some sort of supernatural thingy, but the generallisations the Doctor made TBH I found utterly moronic.

 

I didn't even really think of that at first but I totally see your point, the 'don't let her take meds' thing is a pretty bad thing to promote in a family show. I really disliked the return of the missing sister for much the same reason, in real life stuff doesn't always work out and Doctor Who's never before been afraid of showing us that sometimes people die and mysteries go unsolved. Moffat has this bizarre reputation for being cruel and killing people off but they come back more often than the average X-Man.

[Batgirl]

is talking about the finale ok or do we need to be spoiler cautious still?