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Doctor Who Series Seven |OT| The Question You've Been Running From All Your Life

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literally the only thing I hate about this is that it looks like we're getting ANOTHER companion from Today.

The Doctor used to occasionally pull his companions from whenever and wherever in time and/or space, but now it's all just modern day Britain.
 
Htown said:
literally the only thing I hate about this is that it looks like we're getting ANOTHER companion from Today.

The Doctor used to occasionally pull his companions from whenever and wherever in time and/or space, but now it's all just modern day Britain.
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Not really. It's fairly obvious, to me at least, that all three Oswin's are the same. Knowing this, I don't think it's as cut and paste as "she's from the modern day", as the Oswin in modern day probably was the last chronologically, as the Dalek Oswin came before Victorian Oswin, and Victorian Oswin was known by modern day Oswin.
 
isny said:
Not really. It's fairly obvious, to me at least, that all three Oswin's are the same. Knowing this, I don't think it's as cut and paste as "she's from the modern day", as the Oswin in modern day probably was the last chronologically, as the Dalek Oswin came before Victorian Oswin, and Victorian Oswin was known by modern day Oswin.
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Another chronologically differing companion? No, I'm going to wager a guess that they share the same consciousness or something of that ilk.

Xenogears Miyang
 
There's an awful lot of people who seem convinced she's River. I think these people are mental, to be honest.

There was one character I thought it stood a chance of being, due to the 50th - but the kiss scuppered it (or at least you'd hope it would!) - Jenny. Since he persuaded them to not kill her I hope he'll do something with her one day...

Htown said:
literally the only thing I hate about this is that it looks like we're getting ANOTHER companion from Today.

The Doctor used to occasionally pull his companions from whenever and wherever in time and/or space, but now it's all just modern day Britain.
Click to expand...

I hate it too, but it's also just a piece of the time we live in. Market research and stuff points to shows like this needing an anchor character - that never used to happen on old Who - and the companions become that anchor. They need a character who understands what we understand. They can't touch the bases like, say, how brilliant Rose/Martha's families were or Rory's dad or even Rory himself with a character from the past, for instance, because family and relationship dynamics were so different even 40 years ago... and I think they like to touch those bases.

In terms of 'official' companions (ie people credited in the opening) we've only had one from outside the present day - Jack. And even he wasn't that different! It's a shame, but I think they're probably scared of what lacking such an easy anchor could do to the audience.
 
a) I want victorian clothing for girls to be today's new fashion thing. Like, right now.

b) I never thought another companion could possibly be a rival for Amy (sorry everyone, I loved her till the end) but looks like I was wrong.

c) Clara/Amy/Reptile girl spinoff series please. Some mix out of Sherlock Holmes and Baywatch. Thanks.
 
GameplayWhore said:
Oddly, her mystery reminds me of Rory, as she's dying rather constantly then coming back at different time periods. The only way I feel that they could have done better so far with the character would be if they casted Arthur Darvill as Miss Oswald.
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Clara Oswin Oswald is a nearlygram of She Rory Williams.
 
The main plot was simply prefunctory but Clara's chemistry with the Doctor is insane. I can't wait for the new episodes.

And she has the cutest nose in the history of noses.
 
It was great seeing some new Who after such a wait. I thought it was a massive, massive improvement over TDTWATW, and I can already tell it'll be one of my favorites. The episode and that trailer did a good job of getting me back on board for the second half of S7 (which, I guess, was it's job).

Also, does anyone know how long the episode was? I watched it on BBCA, and it was about 80 minutes or so w/ commercials.

(Oh, and speaking of BBCA, there's a S6 marathon on right now.)
 
Future Foundation said:
It was great seeing some new Who after such a wait. I thought it was a massive, massive improvement over TDTWATW, and I can already tell it'll be one of my favorites. The episode and that trailer did a good job of getting me back on board for the second half of S7 (which, I guess, was it's job).

Also, does anyone know how long the episode was? I watched it on BBCA, and it was about 80 minutes or so w/ commercials.

(Oh, and speaking of BBCA, there's a S6 marathon on right now.)
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About 58 minutes not including the credits and next time trailer. Just shy of 60 min with them.
 
Finally got to watch it, so now I can look at this topic again. Thought the episode was wonderful, though perhaps not the best for brand-new viewers. More of a nice refresh for current viewers, ready for something new and different. The new TARDIS set looked great in action from the few shots we got, dark when the Doctor was sullen and bright/alive when he brought Clara up.

As for Ms. Oswald, I got the impression that she remembered her time with the Doctor from before just as she was about to die. Too many direct quotes. The other stuff, souffles and "Pond", were more unconscious stuff that could still be rationalized. I don't think she'll be dying every episode (a quote in the preview says "the twice-dead girl"), but I am wondering if the driving plot will be Clara "unlocking" her memories for some greater purpose.

Also, I think she just out-Sherlocked Sherlock. It may be that I just read about twenty Holmes adventures in the last two days, but that scene on the rooftop was wonderful.
 
Is there any way to catch this episode online? I'm at my parents' place for the holidays and they don't have cable...I always miss the Christmas specials...
 
I think that they will address the fact that Doctor started forgetting things. He remembered the 1967 incident in London Underground but he did not remember the Great Intelligence. Ok, then it had a form of a Yeti... but still.
 
If he's forgetting the older stuff but remembering the newer, no wonder he's so grim nowadays- the Twin Dilemma and Love & Monsters fresh in mind would make anyone depressed.
 
Personally, I hope Oswin isn't really resolved by the end of the season and then swiftly forgotten about in subsequent seasons, because the continued sense of mystery that gets dropped in favour of new non-resolved mysteries is my favourite thing about Moffat's run on Woctor Who.
 
Finally realized where I had seen Doctor Simmeon before. He was Bob Crachitt in the Patrick Stewart Christmas Carole movie.

He's also been The Doctor in a BBC spoof and radio program before apparently.
 
For those of you that red the Hitchhiker's Guide I give you the following theory about Clara/Oswin.

Clara = Agrajag
11th = Arthur Dent


Episode was kinda nice. Not terrible, but not that great either. Good season starter as it sets up two new mysteries. Hopefully we are actually going to get them answered this time.
 
Suairyu said:
Personally, I hope Oswin isn't really resolved by the end of the season and then swiftly forgotten about in subsequent seasons, because the continued sense of mystery that gets dropped in favour of new non-resolved mysteries is my favourite thing about Moffat's run on Woctor Who.
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...sarcasm or not?
 
Quick said:
If anybody cares for some avatars:

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.
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thank you. grabbed this one.
 
It wasn't my favorite episode-the pacing was off and the main storyline was very muddled and clumsy-The ice is controlling the man-NO WAIT-the man is controlling the ice!! BUT TEARS SAVED EVERYTHING!!!

Whatever-but I did love The Doctor's new state of affairs and his trio of friends backing him up. And of course, Clara-she was great. But the ice woman, and the evil doctor stuff....meh.

There were some terrific moments-like when the Doctor looked in the mirror and realized he had his bowtie on.
 
So happy to get some New Who, LOVED IT!

Oswin is such a hottie and I can't wait to see it all unravel.

Also that ep was fab, Matt Smith is such a fab actor, the Cool Bow Tie scene was fantastic!
 
It was a decent episode.
It didn't wow me or anything, but it wasn't as terrible as some of the previous christmas specials.

The problem I had with it was that it was kinda boring at times, and the lack of good side-characters. The sontaran was pretty fun, but the lizard lady+watson duo was awful.
New companion will be very enjoyable if she'll die at the end of every episode (I really hope they do this), which will work great towards an end of the current doctor's tenure (He literary can't make his companion stop dying, so he gives up).
 
SquiddyBiscuit said:
It was a decent episode.
It didn't wow me or anything, but it wasn't as terrible as some of the previous christmas specials.

The problem I had with it was that it was kinda boring at times, and the lack of good side-characters. The sontaran was pretty fun, but the lizard lady+watson duo was awful.
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Thank you
 
Balphon said:
They're in the preview at the end of the episode.
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They're definitely in 2 and I think actually 3 episodes next year. They're definitely in Mark Gatiss' and one of Moffat's, and I believe somebody else's, confirmed via DWM. Let me find the quote...

EDIT: Yeah, they're in episode 12 (Gatiss) and 14 (Moffat) at least next year, if not more.

Looking this up I also discovered Stephen Thompson, who wrote The Curse of the Black Spot, is behind one episode. Hope it's better than that...! It also sounds like his episode is the double-banking episode - so the 'Blink' or 'Love and Monsters' - the one without much Matt, based on some very vague quotes from DWM - "the star won't necessarily be the usual person."

Also, Gatiss is doing two episodes! Didn't know that. Him and Chibnall are the only people aside from Moffat and RTD to contribute two seperate (ie not two-part) episodes to one series. One of them is the heir to the throne, I'm telling you!
 
They also missed out on the opportunity of having the Great intelligence be "House".
Say that part of the essence of house survived, and attached itself to empty psychic energy crystals - which landed on earth and did all that snowmen stuff. Once the Doctor destroyed the snowman intelligence that had been created by the victorian dude, he'd have opened up a door for House to reclaim the power of the entire psychic field - turning into the Great Intelligence.
 
SquiddyBiscuit said:
They also missed out on the opportunity of having the Great intelligence be "House".
Say that part of the essence of house survived, and attached itself to empty psychic energy crystals - which landed on earth and did all that snowmen stuff. Once the Doctor destroyed the snowman intelligence that had been created by the victorian dude, he'd have opened up a door for House to reclaim the power of the entire psychic field - turning into the Great Intelligence.
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In the Series 5 version of The Doctor's Wife (which was a fairly identical script but with no Rory), House actually was The Great Intelligence. Moffat had Gaiman change it, presumably because he already had using it later in mind.

Important context: The Great Intelligence is an old Doctor Who monster dating back to 1967, in The Web of Fear, a story where it takes over The London Underground (referenced in this episode.) It's not a new thing. It's been in other episodes and several expanded universe stuff since, too. Moffat has basically retrofitted an old monster with an origin story here. We already know what happens to The Great Intelligence after this - it bides its time for a great many years until the events of The Web of Fear.
 
APZonerunner said:
In the Series 5 version of The Doctor's Wife (which was a fairly identical script but with no Rory), House actually was The Great Intelligence. Moffat had Gaiman change it, presumably because he already had using it later in mind.

Important context: The Great Intelligence is an old Doctor Who monster dating back to 1967, in The Web of Fear, a story where it takes over The London Underground (referenced in this episode.) It's not a new thing. It's been in other episodes and several expanded universe stuff since, too. Moffat has basically retrofitted an old monster with an origin story here. We already know what happens to The Great Intelligence after this - it bides its time for a great many years until the events of The Web of Fear.
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Yeah, that is neat in a way, but it feels kinda lame to have two disembodied intelligences that seem to work in the same way when they could have made them one and the same.
 
Though I expected as much thanks to her first appearance in the season, I'm still not too thrilled about having another companion who is so central to any mystery in the primary story arc. Jenna is wonderful, though, and her presence and chemistry with Matt have made it easy to love her. Overall, I felt this christmas special was quite a bit more enjoyable than the previous ones, even if it tread over a lot of thematically familiar ground.

Also: Martin Freeman can't be the 12th doctor because in my dream casting he is the next incarnation of The Master.
 
Just got done watching the Christmas special. Was a amazing episode and had a lot of great jokes. The season preview looked like the upcoming season is going to be the best yet IMO.
 
Mister Saturn said:
Though I expected as much thanks to her first appearance in the season, I'm still not too thrilled about having another companion who is so central to any mystery in the primary story arc.
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Could not agree more. I loved this episode but let out an audible sigh at the end/season preview.
 
Not sure I like Oswin much (outside of her being incredibly attractive, of course). To me, her whole character basically just feels like this:

"I can out-talk/out-zing you, Doctor! Aren't I spunky? *smiles smugly*"
 
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