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Doctor Who Series 9 |OT| Let Zygons Be Zygons
- Thread starter Quick
- Start date
The Elite
BOSS
Despite my overall negative feeling towards the episode there were some bits I genuinely liked.
I really liked the Zygons using the faces of family members as a weapon against the troops.
Evil Clara was a good twist and Coleman did a great job with it.
Osgoode not giving up the truth.
Otherwise, they fumbled the ball on the political subject matter they were trying to handle here. Good scifi should be able to deal with real world social issues but this episode wasn't well executed unfortunately.
I really liked the Zygons using the faces of family members as a weapon against the troops.
Evil Clara was a good twist and Coleman did a great job with it.
Osgoode not giving up the truth.
Otherwise, they fumbled the ball on the political subject matter they were trying to handle here. Good scifi should be able to deal with real world social issues but this episode wasn't well executed unfortunately.
That was boring and disjointed.
Best thing about the episode.
I watched The Woman Who Lived before this and I really liked it.
Best thing about the episode.
I watched The Woman Who Lived before this and I really liked it.
Lashley
Why does he wear the mask!?
It was laughably bad. They were (somehow) worse than usual.
Match of the Day is the only thing that can save this weekend thanks to QI XL not being on
You'd be surprised. Go to Gallifrey Base. It's getting constant tens.
CrimsonFist
Member
Yeah, that whole scene felt really off, almost didn't feel like Doctor Who.
Another minor nitpic, but I don't think they used UNIT's theme all episode either.
The UNIT team were terrible in their past episodes as well. Though the UNIT woman who stayed in London really outdid herself in bad acting in the ambush scene. Also that fake american cop. As bad as it was in Daleks in Manhattan.
APZonerunner
Member
I think Kate was the same as always, really, and relatively good. I can't look at Osgood without seeing the rapist from Peep Show so that's always made her a weird character for me, ha.
what if the posters at galifrey base have been replaced by zygons and ISIL is actually really zygons too!
Lashley
Why does he wear the mask!?
I'm genuinely surprised.
I can't think of anything they could praise. Maybe the evil Clara but that was obvious from the beginning.
Thought it was a bit dull. Also Clara/Kate are the humans not Zygons - see you next week team! Anyway - yeah I liked some of it but felt like a slow set up episode, first parters need a bit more action imo. No single scene really 'worked' it was a bit weak honestly.
Felt generic NuWho invasion story.
Felt generic NuWho invasion story.
APZonerunner
Member
I will say this: I do think there's a lot to be said for less being more in terms of breadth of story for these invasion things. This had hopping back and forth between three different countries and time zones, and all that, but it doesn't feel any more urgent for it. Remember how in Aliens of London it's all set in a Hospital, a flat, and Downing Street, all within about a 10 mile radius of each other? The second part is braver still and is basically only set in two rooms... and yet there's still more urgency to the story than there is here. (Even if it's poorly directed & the Slitheen prosthetic is a bit pants.)
I didn't think this was shit, though, I thought it was fine. Fun!
I didn't think this was shit, though, I thought it was fine. Fun!
Exterminieren
Banned
Thought that was excellent, myself. Ah well.
So UNIT has like 20 soldiers in total? judging by how Evil Clara got them killed and then it was like "Well that's UNIT done for"
Also enough with the damn guitar, I'm sick of hearing it now.
Also the Doctor did absolutely nothing this episode, and I can't believe they are still going with the "President of the World" bullshit, I cringe every time I hear it.
I quite like the idea of a Schrodinger's Osgood though. She's both a Zygon and a Human until it can be proven otherwise. Absolute lol at the completely forced use of the word Hybrid again though.
Also enough with the damn guitar, I'm sick of hearing it now.
Also the Doctor did absolutely nothing this episode, and I can't believe they are still going with the "President of the World" bullshit, I cringe every time I hear it.
I quite like the idea of a Schrodinger's Osgood though. She's both a Zygon and a Human until it can be proven otherwise. Absolute lol at the completely forced use of the word Hybrid again though.
Thought it was a huge improvement over the two Maisie episodes myself, which I thought were both pretty poor. Maybe it's just because it was a nice change of pace following a day spent mainly with Zizek books and literary articles, but it just goes to show how varied responses to this show are.
Broken Joystick
At least you can talk. Who are you?
Stupid sexy evil Clara
Fizzing and screaming was my reaction tooStupid sexy evil Clara
ClivePwned
Member
I thought it was ok, not terrible (Oh look, it laid another egg, My Annebel) and not great ("Start the clock, You're not being cremated are you?").
Talking about the political stuff, it's always been fair game. As Terrance Dicks likes to say "you can have all the social commentary you want in Doctor Who as long as I can have giant maggots."
Talking about the political stuff, it's always been fair game. As Terrance Dicks likes to say "you can have all the social commentary you want in Doctor Who as long as I can have giant maggots."
Next time trailer, since there wasn't one attached to the episode.
Spoilers obviously.
Bonnie (AKA Evil Clara) continues to be stunningly evil
Spoilers obviously.
Bonnie (AKA Evil Clara) continues to be stunningly evil
bearythebear
Member
I hope Evil Clara hangs around after the next episode.
I'm baffled at the responses here. I wasn't expecting anyone to be blown away with excitement, and apart from a few great scenes (especially near the end) neither was I, but some of you seem genuinely offended by it, quality wise. I can't possibly see where that would come from. It was a good set-up episode, with an easy-to-follow plot; decent atmosphere; some good character moments and references; and a nice cliffhanger. There were lesser moments, sure, but none that I really took notice of or would consider "bad".
The Zygons are predictable in their ways, but I thought their strength as villains; that creep factor when posing as humans, was used well. Way better set-ups than in Day Of The Doctor. My fear is that, because they are one-trick-ponies, the second episode will suffer in this area because they've already played that card several times already and it was getting over-done by the time the New Mexico-officer inevitably revealed herself.
I liked the look of the episode, and with a solid if unremarkable Murray Gold-score. While not particularly dense in detail I liked the different locations. The high amount of extras was refreshing too for a Moffat-era episode; the episode reminded me a little bit of the series 4 two-parter with Martha. Lots of UNIT-stuff, alien invasion, and with an "evil Martha" to boot. This one was more polished, though (the higher production values help a lot). I feel dumb for not seeing that "Zygon Clara"-twist coming, I can understand if it was totally obvious to others, but I am glad I didn't, everything's so much better when you get surprised. Thought that was a well-executed moment (sexy evil Clara isn't so bad, either!).
The Zygons are predictable in their ways, but I thought their strength as villains; that creep factor when posing as humans, was used well. Way better set-ups than in Day Of The Doctor. My fear is that, because they are one-trick-ponies, the second episode will suffer in this area because they've already played that card several times already and it was getting over-done by the time the New Mexico-officer inevitably revealed herself.
I liked the look of the episode, and with a solid if unremarkable Murray Gold-score. While not particularly dense in detail I liked the different locations. The high amount of extras was refreshing too for a Moffat-era episode; the episode reminded me a little bit of the series 4 two-parter with Martha. Lots of UNIT-stuff, alien invasion, and with an "evil Martha" to boot. This one was more polished, though (the higher production values help a lot). I feel dumb for not seeing that "Zygon Clara"-twist coming, I can understand if it was totally obvious to others, but I am glad I didn't, everything's so much better when you get surprised. Thought that was a well-executed moment (sexy evil Clara isn't so bad, either!).
Was it? I mean, I was fully expecting someone to turn out to unexpectedly be a Zygon, but I was convinced it'd be Ros-from-Bugs.
mightynine
Member
I thought the political slant was a little too on the nose - I like my real-world analogies, but handled with a bit more...subtlety, perhaps?
It was fine, otherwise. Hate really judging part 1 without part 2.
It was fine, otherwise. Hate really judging part 1 without part 2.
Thinking back, there was some slight foreshadowing of Clara being a Zygon, like
A) Asking Kate about the anti-Zygon weapon
B) Coincedentally wanting to go back to her flat just as those Zygons are kidnapping that boy
C) Using the Zygon technology in the lift
And wasn't there a scene where Clara said something and the Doctor gave her a confused look?
A) Asking Kate about the anti-Zygon weapon
B) Coincedentally wanting to go back to her flat just as those Zygons are kidnapping that boy
C) Using the Zygon technology in the lift
And wasn't there a scene where Clara said something and the Doctor gave her a confused look?
Saiyan-Rox
Member
Yep knew it happened as soon as "Clara" came out of the flat. it was all a bit obvious what was going on. but I wouldn't be surprised if they pulled another spin by making it seem as the doctor knew clara was a zygon the whole time and has the Tardis in the plane.
Osgood is really weird though first a scarf now the question marks and being mysterious if she's human or not but I can still see her being clara's replacement.
Totally agreed.
Thought it was fun, sure it was predictable, but it was fun nonetheless. Good series so far.
Also, I'm very intrigued where the hell Moffat is taking this hybrid thing...
tonysidaway
Member
I've just watched this week's episode, The Zygon Invasion. I've got to say this is some of the strongest storytelling I've seen in some time on Doctor Who. I wasn't expecting much after Harness's Doctor Who debut. Kill the Moon was in my opinion the weakest episode by far in the last series, which was a disappointment given Harness's established track record.
This new episode is beautifully paced, the actors too are clearly relishing the script's twists and turns. It's all the better for being outside the usual emotional tone scale for Doctor Who. It's a rather dark story, with correspondingly darker written parts for the familiar roles.
As Doctor Who, Capaldi continues to develop his new persona which resembles a heroin-fueled Keith Richards. Jenna is given a new role as the callous, radicalised Bonnie. Clara is presumably now merely a ball of skin and hair. The body count has been high, and established, much loved characters are among those presumed dead or about to die. Perhaps Who has imported more from Game of Thrones than just Maisie Williams.
This new episode is beautifully paced, the actors too are clearly relishing the script's twists and turns. It's all the better for being outside the usual emotional tone scale for Doctor Who. It's a rather dark story, with correspondingly darker written parts for the familiar roles.
As Doctor Who, Capaldi continues to develop his new persona which resembles a heroin-fueled Keith Richards. Jenna is given a new role as the callous, radicalised Bonnie. Clara is presumably now merely a ball of skin and hair. The body count has been high, and established, much loved characters are among those presumed dead or about to die. Perhaps Who has imported more from Game of Thrones than just Maisie Williams.
I'm sorry but this episode featured truly horrible writing.
The whole evil clara plan didn't make much sense. Why didn't she make the middle-aged UNIT woman a zygon? The other zygon reveals were just too foreseeable...
Also the whole implication regarding the refugee crisis we have right now is very questionable...
The whole evil clara plan didn't make much sense. Why didn't she make the middle-aged UNIT woman a zygon? The other zygon reveals were just too foreseeable...
Also the whole implication regarding the refugee crisis we have right now is very questionable...
Agreed, his acting there was pretty bad.
I really enjoyed most of the episode, but I'm a sucker for lots of locations and Murray Gold doing a good John Barry impression. Thought the episode was well-shot and I liked a lot of the character bits that were different than a normal episode.
Yeah, the church scene was undoubtedly the lowest point of the episode.
The idea was handled extremely poorly, the acting was horrible, the music didn't fit, and it dragged on for too long.
You'd think the Doctor would have stepped in and convinced the soldiers, because you know, he's dealt with Zygons before, but instead he just lets them go in and all die at once and nobody even mentions them.
Speaking of, where did all those Zygons go after they killed the soldiers?
The idea was handled extremely poorly, the acting was horrible, the music didn't fit, and it dragged on for too long.
You'd think the Doctor would have stepped in and convinced the soldiers, because you know, he's dealt with Zygons before, but instead he just lets them go in and all die at once and nobody even mentions them.
Speaking of, where did all those Zygons go after they killed the soldiers?
Doctor&Colonel also barge in 1 second after they went in and everyone is gone.
Also UNIT soldiers apparently never manage to give just 1 shot back...
They ran into the tunnels and also positioned the carpet back after going in
I think she did shoot the zygon
Ugh, seeing Gretchen Egolf in this reopened up the Journeyman wounds.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0251098/?ref_=tt_cl_t2
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0251098/?ref_=tt_cl_t2
Freeza Under The Shower
Member
No, that was terrible. Aside from complete lack of subtlety, the scene transitions in this were really odd. One scene just ends and then we're at this other place, with some object that's just there for no fucking reason, with no relation in terms of cut or geography... what the fuck was this garbage? The ending only marginally saved it, mostly due to some really nice looking effects work, but that should be pretty much the last thing I would have to reach for to say something nice about it. No offence to the art department of course, but without good writing, no degree of good 'anything else' is going to make a dent.
For what it's worth, the writer has written 'Kill the Moon', which was equally terrible....and has written the Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell adaption, which seems to be solid. Though with a steady director (whom ironically has done the 'pandorica' Who finale) and obviously a good novel to begin with. I'm still going to blame him going by Kill the Moon. Sadly, he also wrote the next episode, so hold on to your butts everyone, it's most likely going to be intensely mediocre too.
For what it's worth, the writer has written 'Kill the Moon', which was equally terrible....and has written the Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell adaption, which seems to be solid. Though with a steady director (whom ironically has done the 'pandorica' Who finale) and obviously a good novel to begin with. I'm still going to blame him going by Kill the Moon. Sadly, he also wrote the next episode, so hold on to your butts everyone, it's most likely going to be intensely mediocre too.
Lashley
Why does he wear the mask!?
Yep. Seemed clear from the way they cut the scene of her asking if hes okay and then leaving/
BrokenFiction
Member
It was pretty good, nothing Earth-shaking. It felt like too much of a setup episode, but I challenge you to find any two parter in NuWho that didn't have the 1st episode feel just like a setup. One thing I will say is that the long streak of not knowing what to do with American actors continues.