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[SlipperyFishes]

Hey. That was really good.

I think that might be a pretty good partner episode to Heaven Sent. Similar enough concepts.

 

[Bits N Pieces]

The whole episode had a kind of swagger about it, really enjoyed where its taking the arc of this series and have high hopes for the remaining episodes.

Great stuff.

 

[Randy Lanzarote]

It's obvious why of course, but part of me really wanted them to make the president who committed suicide to look like Donald Trump. I guess he wasn't President in the virtual reality. Couldn't have been all bad really.

I'm sure there was a line from the doctor that said eventually the intelligent in the simulation would figure they are in a simulation.

Because of that, I was hoping the president would still be alive, tweeting or eating a steak covered in ketchup.

 

[munroe]

Episode was alright, nothing particularly exciting

 

[IdreamofHIME]

Why'd the TARDIS not translate the Pope?

 

[iMax]

Why'd the TARDIS not translate the Pope?

glitch in the matrix

 

[A-V-B]

Why'd the TARDIS not translate the Pope?

Could simulate a time machine but not the heart of the TARDIS itself?

 

[Boem]

Why'd the TARDIS not translate the Pope?

Rule number 1: if something makes a scene better, ignore all previous 'lore' of Doctor Who. A tried and true tradition from all the way back in the 60s.

According to that Radio Times interview there were a couple of lines explaining it, but they cut it for pacing. The way the translation thing worked and to which degree has varied wildly over the years as well.

 

[twobear]

I'm sure it's

Spoiler

Missy/The Master

in the vault.

💁

 

[MaKTaiL]

This episode kindly reminded me of the Silence arc with Matt Smith. It was one of the best Moffat's arcs for me and this 3-parter might actually beat it when all is said and done. It will definitely be the best arc for Capaldi, I'm sure.

 

[FutureLarking]

Intrigued to see where this is going, but certain scenes really poked out to me that Pearl Mackie is certainly not the best actress out there. Say what you want about the characters of Clara and Donna but their actresses were a step above.

Even Karen Gillian put in better work

 

[CorrisD]

I enjoyed the episode even if it was rather out there with the way it handled its story compared to previous weeks, it was an interesting one though.In typical Moffat fashion we had this nice build up that was less "omg no way" and more "ah, alright then" with the Missy reveal there.

Going from what happened and what was said I'm hoping there is going to be a bit more to what seems to boil down to Missy promising that she will learn to be good if it takes a thousand years if she doesn't die, and the Doctor letting her prove it or die.

💁

To be fair that was a pretty safe bet since they showed off John Simm in one of the first trailers for this series and Missy in the later ones.

 

[Protome]

Intrigued to see where this is going, but certain scenes really poked out to me that Pearl Mackie is certainly not the best actress out there. Say what you want about the characters of Clara and Donna but their actresses were a step above.

Even Karen Gillian put in better work

I think she's fine. Even at her weakest she's at least miles better than Martha though.

 

[StalkerUKCG]

Not a single dud episode so far already makes this one of the best seasons since 2005. Such a shame that Capaldi couldn't get more seasons like this.

 

[Joqu]

Yeah, that was brilliant, I can't believe how good this season has been. I'm so glad Capaldi's at least going out with such a bang.

 

[hamchan]

That Star Ocean 3 ending.

Enjoyed it. The notion that even a simulated Doctor made by his enemies is too awesome to handle is pretty funny.

Ep had good pacing, good mystery without being too convoluted and that's what I want from Doctor Who.

The Master being in the vault was the obvious answer so I'm glad we got that out of the way halfway through the season.

 

[Hot Coldman]

Genuinely one of my favourite episodes ever. Just incredibly unsettling throughout, with some incredible good dialogue.

The Super Mario Bros. analogy was disturbing as fuck.

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

So, who wrote the Veritas? Early bug?

Also I'm wondering whether the imagery of that room being a reference to the Sefer Yetzirah, but that's probably just in my head / coincidental. It doesn't have to be intentional either btw, since most Judeo-Christian 'creation' stuff uses it by default anyway, certainly anything involving code of any kind (because based in 'words' ). More of a stray thought whilst seeing the episode though.

Additionally, did Missy actually use 'pop goes the weasel' as a line before? I don't really rewatch previous seasons, but I have the feeling she did. Maybe with the UNIT stuff?

 

[Beaniedude]

Oh man, that was brilliant.
They ramped it up to 11 and then kept on ramping.

 

[Hot Coldman]

The Veritas was written by people smart enough to figure out the truth of the shadow world. The information of how those people would act and behave was vital, so they never tried to avoid any such thing occuring.

Hell, I suppose it's actually possible the Veritas was coded into the shadow world, so that savvy people may find it and act in an informative way (which, as it turned out, was to kill themselves - besides the Doctor, anyway, the only one who could actually rebel).

 

[Sheroking]

The BBC say "no casting decisions have been made" officially to preserve the surprise of the end of the series, but don't expect anyone or anything to stay on. Expect a Eleventh
Hour style clean break. New TARDIS, new Doctor, new companion, new tone.

Which is the way it should be when passing the torch to a new writer IMO.

 

[UpDownLeftRight]

Liked the episode but I felt like the structure sorta made it feel like a lot more happened than actually did for a lot of it, but I'm never too big in things jumping around rapidly.

 

[Bluth54]

Another excellent episode, I loved that nearly the whole thing was a simulation and the simulated Doctor helped out the real one. This is such a high quality season.

 

[KingDirk]

Man, when Moffat sticks to one idea and lets it spool out he can put in some work. Hate that it took so long for him to get out of his own way.

 

[eyeball_kid]

Why is the writing this season suddenly leagues better?

I'm not a big fan of the Doctor going blind. It's a plot device that I guess it there to set up a partnership with the Master, but it seems a bit ridiculous for a time lord to go blind. And why wouldn't the glasses just provide digital vision for him?

The hologram world is curious. How far back have we been seeing the hologram Doctor? Since the beginning of the season?

 

[somedevil]

That super mario bros comparison makes you think. Plus are we going to see these guys try to invade this season on a later episode?

 

[Bluth54]

That super mario bros comparison makes you think. Plus are we going to see these guys try to invade this season on a later episode?

Spoiler

The aliens from this episode are in the trailer for the next episode.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

Fantastic episode.

And somebody thinks Pearl Mackie can't act? No, that's Karen Gillen you're thinking of.

 

[The Elite]

Another great episode. This season is rocking.


I know Missy went in the Vault but I am curious if she comes out.

For now - Bring me Sutekh!

 

[Symphonia]

Another great episode. Gonna be a shame to see Mopaldi go.

 

[Real Hero]

Why is the writing this season suddenly leagues better?

I'm not a big fan of the Doctor going blind. It's a plot device that I guess it there to set up a partnership with the Master, but it seems a bit ridiculous for a time lord to go blind. And why wouldn't the glasses just provide digital vision for him?

The hologram world is curious. How far back have we been seeing the hologram Doctor? Since the beginning of the season?

No just this episode

 

[Davide]

Just watched Oxygen and I seem to have a completely different opinion than most here, this has been the least interesting new Doctor Who series by far. Maybe except for Series 4 at this point. Series 8 and 9 were way better IMO. It's just so meh.

This weekend's which I have yet to watch looks a lot better though.

 

[A-V-B]

Just watched Oxygen and I seem to have a completely different opinion than most here, this has been the least interesting new Doctor Who series by far. Maybe except for Series 4 at this point.

series 4

wut

 

[Kuraudo]

I think all of the episodes this season have been solid, but after x years of Moffat episodes and y years of the revived series, the plots and scenarios all feel a bit stale, which is where the apathy is coming for some people--you're enjoyment really depends on your tolerance for something similar to what you've seen before over something new.

Last night's was the first really standout one for me. I wish Moffat had set the alien arc up in the first episode rather than dragging out a vault tease that was so obvious.

 

[Hot Coldman]

He says in the RT interview that he needed the first 4/5 episodes to be about the Doctor and Bill. The right move - that character is so endearing, but it's because of those few hours of character development - plunging her straight into simulacrum alien madness from the off would have been inappropriate and wonky.

Plus it would have deprived us of Thin Ice!

 

[ClivePwned]

I liked the episode, probably the most Moffaty of the year, yet conversely, the one I enjoyed most (I've the liked the season so far though I didn't like Knock Knock that much and though last weeks was a bit trite).

The aliens just seem a bit meh. I'll just predict they're not actually aliens but something else.

But yeah, so many Moffat Tropes- where lots of disparate shit is flung at the script- and for the first time in many years, it seems to have worked.

 

[StalkerUKCG]

I think it's pretty obvious the big reveal at the end of "The Monk Trilogy" is that it's going to be these guys and they are just after some Irn-Bru

 

[Hellers]

So, who wrote the Veritas? Early bug?

Spoiler

I saw the Veritas as the scenario that the simulation was currently running. If they're wanting to test the Earth before invasion they need to push the simulation to breaking. So they provide a way for the simulated people (And the Doctor who let's face it is the one they're testing) to break the simulation. The problem is as has been said already even a simulated Doctor is a bit too much to handle.

 

[SlipperyFishes]

Why is the writing this season suddenly leagues better?

I'm not a big fan of the Doctor going blind. It's a plot device that I guess it there to set up a partnership with the Master, but it seems a bit ridiculous for a time lord to go blind. And why wouldn't the glasses just provide digital vision for him?

The hologram world is curious. How far back have we been seeing the hologram Doctor? Since the beginning of the season?

Only from the beginning of the episode. The Doctor guarding the vault got all the information on the simulated Doctor from wearing the glasses. That's it!

 

[Freewheelin']

Isn't Capaldi just extraordinary?

 

[Agent Gibbs]

why after the previously poorly written series wasting the talent that is Capaldi has the writing got better and better? Talk about giving everyone a swan song

Brilliant episode, my only grip is the plot device of blindness, its obvious its just to set up him needing to use Missy in an epic Timelord team up - Id really love that to be the last episode and them both be mortally wounded and kiss as the regenerate - which would be even more funny for who they both turn into

 

[BossDarkseid]

Someone had a theory that the aliens/monks are pre-Cybermen Mondasians, and the whole simulation aspect sounds sufficiently sci-fi/techy to fit them. Not sure it makes a ton of sense but hey, Pyramid/Pharoh's Tomb next episode could give us a modern version of the Tomb of the Cybermen theme

I doubt it's them, but...well, it could be interesting in making them feel like a huge threat again.

 

[Boem]

Someone had a theory that the aliens/monks are pre-Cybermen Mondasians, and the whole simulation aspect sounds sufficiently sci-fi/techy to fit them. Not sure it makes a ton of sense but hey, Pyramid/Pharoh's Tomb next episode could give us a modern version of the Tomb of the Cybermen theme

I doubt it's them, but...well, it could be interesting in making them feel like a huge threat again.

I was typing up a post about how they don't line up with the original Cyberman's origin story at all, but actually, there's nothing here that contradicts anything (and it's not exactly like small/big contradictions really matter on Who).

The biggest hint that it might be true: the original face cloth Cybermen didn't really move their mouths when talking - they just opened it, this weird digitized singsong voice would come out, and they'd close it at the end of the sentence. No other mouth movements. Just like how the monks talk in this episode...

(it doesn't really come through in pictures of course, but you'll know what I mean if you've seen the episode).

Knowing that the Mondasian Cybermen are coming up, that definitely counts as a hint in my book. Go figure, I was ready to make fun of this theory just a couple of minutes ago. The only thing that makes me doubt it is that it doesn't really seem like the kind of thing the original Cybermen used to do, but let's not forget that one of their plans included destroying the Earth by changing the weather from a weather station on the moon, so thinking up something more clever for them might not be the worst thing in the world.

 

[Joqu]

Oh yeah, This is Gallifrey played. Always a good time when it does.

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

Oh yeah, This is Gallifrey played. Always a good time when it does.

Yeah first time in a while right? Series 3 flashbacks...

 

[tomtom94]

I think this is an episode that I'm going to have to judge at the end of the three-parter because it's basically all setup and as a result it jumps about a lot.

Possibly just because I've been rewatching the wrong episodes, too, but I really wish Moffat would stop with the "emotional moment actually it's not real lol" fakeouts.

Oh, and I'm willing to bet it's not actually Missy in the vault.

 

[Joqu]

Yeah first time in a while right? Series 3 flashbacks...

First time it has played in a Capaldi episode if the wiki is to be believed, which sounds right to me. I know it played in Time of the Doctor.

 

[wind_steaker]

One question on the most recent episode (which was great by the way):

Who was the person who "went missing" after reading the Veritas, rather than dying? They made a big point about it not assuming they were dead. Any ideas or have I missed something?

 

[peanutbutterlatte]

Anybody totally think Nardole under the cloak was John Simm at first?

And I'll say it again, Matt Lucas is a genuinely good actor. Really surprised.

 

[8bit]

One question on the most recent episode (which was great by the way):

Who was the person who "went missing" after reading the Veritas, rather than dying? They made a big point about it not assuming they were dead. Any ideas or have I missed something?

Wasn't it

Spoiler

the preacher in the cage

?