Doctor Who

[Flyboy Fox]

Thank you, Doctor MK, that's very helpful too! I'll start with those most recent ones from this season, since I think they're still available on iPlayer. Then if I can get hold of the last season, I'll try to play catch up with those ones you mentioned, too.

[Octarine]

So. A little late to the party on this one again, but The Doctor's Wife was one of my favourite episodes in a long time.

This might be a shallow reason for enjoying an episode, but the sheer amount of fanservice was incredible. The TARDIS finally speaking, a little new information about the pre-series First Doctor, some more information about the Time Lords in general, the Eccleston/Tennant console room, the cannibalized ramshackle TARDIS the Doctor puts together looking a fair bit like some of the classic consoles... I was squealing like a little girl every other minute.

Even the new concepts, like House and the patchwork people made of Time Lord bits were really interesting, and probably could have supported a very good episode on their own (or even a two-parter, which is what I still sort of feel this ought to have been). The story could very easily have used its fanservice elements to prop up a story that was seriously dumb like The End of Time did and still been fairly successful, but an effort was really made to tell a good story here and the results speak for themselves. It says a lot that we were completely cheated out of seeing more Time Lords and I still adored the episode.

[Badnik Mechanic]

You have around 3 hours before this shirt is gone forever.

The angel Vs The silence.

[Glenn]

Excellent, thanks Glenn!

[TheGerkuman]

This is shaping up to being one of the good two-parters, I think. The whole thing had a delicious unease about it.

[Velotix von Skruviktorrius]

So basically this is the origin story of the Autons.

Or was I the only one who noticed?

[Stacy]

So basically this is the origin story of the Autons.

Or was I the only one who noticed?

For some reason the Gangers all looked like Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter series or is this just me!?

Edited May 21, 2011 by BW199148

[Glenn]

Good stuff. A bit throwaway, and it seemed to be written for the entire purpose of the cliffhanger, but witty and entertaining enough to clip along at a decent pace (despite the "let's all just wander around individually for a bit" in the middle).

The concluding part will seal the deal, and I'll be eager to watch them both together at some stage in the future, too.

[Flyboy Fox]

I have to say this episode didn't grab me nearly as much as last week's. The script just seemed weak comparatively, and the acting by some of the cast was mediocre at best and entirely unconvincing at worst. I will praise it for being incredibly creepy at points, however. I don't do well with suspense and sudden noises/gory sights, and there were a few moments that genuinely made me flinch.

But now that we've seen it happen a few times, it won't have the same effect next week - so I hope the script/story writing is a little better to make up for it.

[PSI Wind]

God damnit. I have to wait another week to watch the next episode (unless the UK airing is also on June 4th). Stupid Memorial Day week affecting TV views :\.

Anyways, an enjoyable, but rather weak episode in the series.

Edited May 22, 2011 by PSI Aqua

[Badnik Mechanic]

I have to say this episode didn't grab me nearly as much as last week's. The script just seemed weak comparatively, and the acting by some of the cast was mediocre at best and entirely unconvincing at worst. I will praise it for being incredibly creepy at points, however. I don't do well with suspense and sudden noises/gory sights, and there were a few moments that genuinely made me flinch.

But now that we've seen it happen a few times, it won't have the same effect next week - so I hope the script/story writing is a little better to make up for it.

I think I have to agree. It felt like a very big build up to the cliffhanger reveal, I do honestly wonder if it really needed to be as long as it was. They could have almost cut out all of that "Theres a solar flare comming!" bit at the beginning.

I don't dislike the idea for the episode, them being trapped by acid, can't move in all areas, some creepy human looking monster, could also bring in "Which one of us is real?" if they wanted. but it did feel like it was being stretched out for as long as possible.

Also, I was quite looking forward to the guy from life on mars/ashes to ashes being in this episode, yet it just seemed like he ended up being a bit of a waste.

God damnit. I have to wait another week to watch the next episode (unless the UK airing is also on June 4th). Stupid Memorial Day affecting TV views :\.

Anyways, an enjoyable, but rather weak episode in the series.

Unless it's Christmas Day/special. Doctor Who is usually broadcast on a Saturday.

[PSI Wind]

Sorry, meant WEEK

[Kevin]

I have to say this episode didn't grab me nearly as much as last week's. The script just seemed weak comparatively, and the acting by some of the cast was mediocre at best and entirely unconvincing at worst. I will praise it for being incredibly creepy at points, however. I don't do well with suspense and sudden noises/gory sights, and there were a few moments that genuinely made me flinch.

But now that we've seen it happen a few times, it won't have the same effect next week - so I hope the script/story writing is a little better to make up for it.

I agree. This episode seemed weaker than last week's one, and felt like it stretched out a bit too much as Hogfather said. I was rather surprised that the acting and the script was weaker in this episode considering it's been very good in the previous episodes so far.

[TheGerkuman]

The writer's last work on Doctor Who was 'Fear Her.'

To get something at least decent must've been really hard for the guy.

[Doctor Sοnic]

Just realised I never got round to posting about the last ep.

While it wasn't as good as the previous episode I still found The Rebel Flesh to be enjoyable. I think I'll wait till I've seen both parts to judge the story properly. I thought they created the atmosphere very well though.

Theres also those very interesting hints that the Doctor knows a lot more about whats going on that hes saying. The Auton theory is a possibility, though I would never have made any connection between them and the flesh before seeing the episode. There are similarities but at the same time they're also very different.

The cliffhanger I saw coming though (as I suspect did everyone else).

Anyway looking forward to tonights.

On a related note, I thought last weeks episode of Doctor Who Confidential was very good.

Edited May 28, 2011 by Doctor Sοnic

[SHAX Hedgefox]

The cliffhanger I saw coming though (as I suspect did everyone else).

[Stacy]

By the way, is there anyway to watch the new episodes online? I'm starting to get sick of waiting a week to see the new episodes after they've already premiered.

[Flyboy Fox]

I thought He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was Ryan G-- *Hauled off by an army of government heavies*

Ahem. Anyway, looking forward to part two, even if part one wasn't really all that strong. It's still enjoyable watchable fun, and not every episode/arc has to be gold. They are creepy, I'll give 'em that...

[Badnik Mechanic]

TO BE CONTINUED

Alrighty then, I was NOT expecting that.

Reverse the jellybaby in the polarity flow.

[TheGerkuman]

Well, that twist I did not see coming. That is, until he mentioned that he was going to the planet on purpose to scan the flesh. Then it all fell into place.

The question now is, are the silence behind this, or was she replaced before the silence got to her? I prefer the former theory to the latter. It's a predestination paradox. The silence had to capture her to get her pregnant, then Ganger'd. Genetically modified Half-Time-Lord Baby Pond? Genetically Modified Half-Time-Lord River song? Who knows. But it's fascinating.

Edited May 28, 2011 by Gerkuman

[Glenn]

In a word, rubbish. Until the last five minutes.

Unfortunately (and I'm not saying this to sound clever... I'm anything but clever) I called the ending about five minutes before the episode started. I was going through everything from last week's episode in my mind, to refresh and make sure everything flowed into the second part of the storyline, and had the thought. Instantly doubted it, of course, but it took the edge away from what should have been a shocking conclusion to an excellent episode.

Take that away, and what's left? By-the-numbers adventuring, lots of moody drama that never really went anywhere, a grown-up version of the little girl from The Ring, some funny interplay to chuckle at and a moral message that's been overplayed in the modern incarnations of Doctor Who, not to mention science fiction in general since 1987.

Also, for the first time ever, a properly huge plothole. Seriously, if you can bear it, watch the episode again and track the sonic screwdriver. Keep an eye on who has it, and where. Then join me in frowning at the bad continuity.

Oh well.

The ongoing storyline is keeping me hooked, but not entertained-hooked. I'm hooked for answers.

When they've arrived... well, who knows?

[Stacy]

I enjoyed it, much better than last weeks and I am looking to next weeks episode very much.

[Doctor MK]

I'm going to slightly echo Glenn here. While I didn't think tonight's episode was utter rubbish, and it was undeniably better than The Rebel Flesh, it still felt a bit lacking. I admire them for tackling the premise of humans and copies having the same rights, but it could have been done so much more impressively. The only real redeeming feature of The Almost People was having two Doctors interacting with each other. Oh, and that cliffhanger of course. Which, like Glenn, I had sort of worked out before it happened, which took the impact out of it a bit. This two-parter just felt like a glorified build-up to those last five minutes and it could have been reduced down to one episode if they really wanted it to. I can see why they gave it two-parter status, as the Flesh is obviously rather vital to the overall plot, but... meh.

And yes, that sonic screwdriver plothole. How on earth did they miss that? They made such a big deal out of The Doctor giving his sonic screwdriver away to his copy, and then just a couple of scenes later, the first Doctor is using the screwdriver himself. Dear oh dear. Or maybe, just maybe, it's not a monumental cock-up. Maybe it's like The Doctor's supposed continuity error in Flesh and Stone last series, where he suddenly is wearing his tweed jacket again when speaking to Amy despite having it stolen by the Angels minutes beforehand? I wouldn't put it past Steven Moffat to do that, especially as it was so glaringly obvious. But if it wasn't... I reiterate - dear oh dear.

Anyway, on a more optimistic note, next week's episode is looking epic. Trailer here:

[Flyboy Fox]

I was kind of disappointed, again. The pace was better this time around, but it was still severely lacking in any real charisma. The script, aside from a couple of clever little nods, was really quite poor and the acting continued to be mediocre and down-right unconvincing at times. For a story that relied on and centred upon critical ethical dilemmas and questions about empathy, compassion and what it means to be human... they really picked a dud cast. It just wasn't human enough. It was over-the-top, predictable, and didn't give the viewer enough credit for intelligence as there was absolutely no subtlety. Once again, the only saving grace was some pretty cool creepy moments, and of course the gigantic twist at the end (which was at least semi-predictable, but made for a nice cliffhanger).

Hoping for better next week.

[Stacy]

Wow, I really didn't really analyse while I was watching it, for some reason I can't do that it, just spoils it for me.

Sounds like a lot of people don't the like the new series or latter one, its just me then that enjoys it.

Then again you shouldn't listen to music with me or my father.

Scenario: Bridge Over Trouble Water by Simon & Garfunkel:

Dad:I like this song it has a really build in the bridge when the drums come in.

Me: Yeah, I really like how they have layered their vocals in the bridge too, and that snare drum has a fanatsic crashing reverb effect especially at the end.

My Mum: I just like the song as a song.

Edited May 28, 2011 by BW199148