Fixed it for you (not that I think it's a bad thing, here or there).
I think this one mostly just didn't even bother to explain the plot, but the plot does make sense. And a Victorian rocket is still at least better than a Victorian cyberzord.
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Doctor Who Series Seven |OT| The Question You've Been Running From All Your Life
- Thread starter Mr. Sam
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Fixed it for you (not that I think it's a bad thing, here or there).
I think this one mostly just didn't even bother to explain the plot, but the plot does make sense. And a Victorian rocket is still at least better than a Victorian cyberzord.
Box of Bunnies
Banned
So there must be like what, four episodes out of the hundreds of stories in the series, that you enjoy?
I definitely feel like I want some more structure out of Who these days. More two parters again (would be nice if we can get some 4 or 5 parters too), a straight run of 13 episodes for once for a cohesive whole (no splits), the cheese factor coupled with the humanitarian backbone, and more long-term plot structure.
I also feel, and maybe it's just me, that Matt Smith's doctor is just sort of wearing on me. I don't think he has the greatest range emotionally and so I always feel with him I'm getting one or two very specific aspects of The Doctors personality, with everything else falling awkwardly behind. I really long for the days of some of the older Doctors again.
Anyway, love Doctor Who, but I honestly haven't been feeling this Clara run to date.
I also feel, and maybe it's just me, that Matt Smith's doctor is just sort of wearing on me. I don't think he has the greatest range emotionally and so I always feel with him I'm getting one or two very specific aspects of The Doctors personality, with everything else falling awkwardly behind. I really long for the days of some of the older Doctors again.
Anyway, love Doctor Who, but I honestly haven't been feeling this Clara run to date.
Also: no more goddamn companions that fall in love with the Doctor. please.
I'd like to see them cut the half-way point they're at now and just go with a more frequent Sherlock-style serial structure. Chunks of 3-5 related episodes coming out 3+ times a year. Particularly for the rest of Moffat's run, as I think it'd hit the sweet spot of his attention span (too short for 12 or even 6 episodes, too long for episodic).
EleventhDoctor
Banned
Clara is just ..,, blank. There's nothing there except for a spectacularly beautiful face.
I'm ok with this!
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Huh. Never thought of it this way until Maharg's post, but Moffatt's a novella writer, essentially. He's not great at short stories, and he doesn't have the stamina for novels. Television isn't really built for novella writers, though. The only one doing it is him, on Sherlock.
That's definitely a lot of why most of my friends aren't latching onto her. Companion is supposed to be an audience surrogate, essentially. They should be their own characters, but also capable of being projected onto by the audience members. Clara doesn't really have any character, and you can't project onto her because she seems to be doing running commentary on what's happening as opposed to EXPERIENCING it. So you can't get lost in the experience, you establish no empathy for her, because there's no IN.
That's definitely a lot of why most of my friends aren't latching onto her. Companion is supposed to be an audience surrogate, essentially. They should be their own characters, but also capable of being projected onto by the audience members. Clara doesn't really have any character, and you can't project onto her because she seems to be doing running commentary on what's happening as opposed to EXPERIENCING it. So you can't get lost in the experience, you establish no empathy for her, because there's no IN.
dead souls
Member
I'm starting to think I might just be over this show in its current incarnation. This entire half of the season hasn't really done anything for me at all.
I think it might be time for Smith/Moffat to go.
I think it might be time for Smith/Moffat to go.
EleventhDoctor
Banned
Not sure I'm at that point yet-I really loved the first part of Season 7-but so far I've only loved Hide and JTTCOTT in this half...what a waste!
Something is definitely up-I wonder if the pressure for the 50th Anniversary was taking attention away from the show-or if Moffet is just burning out as he always likes to mention in interviews?
This is a very good idea I think. I think that would work really well.
One of the great things about Doctor Who is that it always has future opportunities to reinvent itself, because of new characters and actors for major parts, and so even if I don't end up liking a particular season, I am always optimistic about what is around the corner.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Either he's burning out or we are, but I think it's safe to say there's a general sense, even if the numbers are staying up, that people are getting itchy.
EleventhDoctor
Banned
I just can't comprehend how we had a season with such great episodes like Asylum of the Daleks and Dinosaurs on a Spaceship-both zany, fast paced cinematic fun....to this episode, Rings and Cold War. It's like someone was proudly showing off a beautiful hot air balloon and then it hits a power line on the way up.
Box of Bunnies
Banned
I was feeling that way with the split and the first episode of this half season, but I've enjoyed everything since that.
Then again I loved Rings of Akhaten so my feelings on the state of the show seem to be a bit out of step with everyone else.
dead souls
Member
Yeah, the run we got in September was light years better than this current batch of episodes.
ehhhhhhh
Would rather watch cold war on repeat for five hours than to watch dinosaurs on a spaceship again.
Like this episode and think that it shows the strength of the Moffat/Smith era. What would have otherwise been a cheese-filled, trash episode is saved by beautiful visual, eccentric characters, and witty dialogue. The plot was secondary to watching all the characters running around having fun solving mystery.
Pretty much 100% disagree with this one. I've enjoyed every Clara episode so far. Was sick and tired of motherfuckin Amy.
EleventhDoctor
Banned
Wow. Different strokes rule the world I guess.
I'm feeling this way too.
I like Clara, but as people in here have said, she's kinda blank. So far, it could just as easily be Amy in her position saying and doing everything she does. The difference being Clara hasn't got stuff like the Amy/Rory/Doctor love triangle, the crack in her bedroom wall, and the 'raggedy man' memory from her childhood, to help give her depth and be an interesting character.
All we have from Clara is the fact that she keeps coming back in different time periods and she keeps dying. It just isn't interesting enough as an arc to last an entire season.
Also just in terms of the stories it seems like the last 3 or 4 episodes have been 'locked in a single space with a creature stalking people in the darkness' type episodes. Seriously, we had the fire things in last weeks, the weird Dead Space thing in the forest, then there was the submarine episode. (I haven't watched the latest one yet).
I hope it picks up.
I think it's mostly because the characters we've had in the second part are all so bland. Evil ruthless businesswoman, semi-religious orders, over-the-top Soviets and tempered scientists/captains, Ghosthunters International and too dumb too live greedy slimeballs. The stories themselves were nothing too bad but there is just nothing really carrying it.
Not to say that the Ponds were anything better but at least they got some development even if it was in the form of never-ending "ooooh look how much they love each other"-plots.
Not to say that the Ponds were anything better but at least they got some development even if it was in the form of never-ending "ooooh look how much they love each other"-plots.
D
Deleted member 10571
Unconfirmed Member
Alright, some of you guys might exaggerate a bit here, while this certainly wasn't the strongest run so far it's far from being as atrocious as you make it to be :/
I had fun with the episode, as usual
I had fun with the episode, as usual
User 100115
Banned
I enjoyed the episode. Not my favorite ever or anything but I enjoyed it.
I am so going to use 'Horse! You have failed in your mission!' at some point in real life.
Only two episodes left this season? Boo.
I am so going to use 'Horse! You have failed in your mission!' at some point in real life.
Only two episodes left this season? Boo.
MesserWolf
Member
come on .... it was still an entertaining episode... despite a not fully coherent story
Box of Bunnies
Banned
Incoherent? The story was pretty straightforward.
APZonerunner
Member
A few people have said "How could Clara take the kids threatening to tell on her seriously?"
The answer is: She's paper thin! She's sassy and fit as fuck, but that's it. There's nothing to her at all.
I still think this was Gatiss' best contribution to the show; I don't really mind (and sometimes actively enjoy) the cheese. My problem was with some of the inconsistencies and unexplained elements of the story over how cheesy it was. This felt like a story right out of late 70s Who but with better production, cheese-wise. But, hey... overall I prefer RTD's run to Moffat's (albeit by a very narrow margin), so I know I'm in the minority in general.
The answer is: She's paper thin! She's sassy and fit as fuck, but that's it. There's nothing to her at all.
I still think this was Gatiss' best contribution to the show; I don't really mind (and sometimes actively enjoy) the cheese. My problem was with some of the inconsistencies and unexplained elements of the story over how cheesy it was. This felt like a story right out of late 70s Who but with better production, cheese-wise. But, hey... overall I prefer RTD's run to Moffat's (albeit by a very narrow margin), so I know I'm in the minority in general.
This season has been pretty mild so far. As I've said many times before I don't really like Clara and I think it's hurting the show. It's like Moffat doesn't really care much about these episodes, they're just padding within the whole Clara storyline and he's probably been dropping hints about her in every episode without actually fleshing out her personality and the episodes she's in.
I'm optimistic though. I'm hoping the climax will be satisfactory and once the mystery's been fully resolved (as well as the whole Doc-Tor Who storyline) the story can progress as usual with random adventures in time and space.
I think this episode was 'okay'. It wasn't anything spectacular by any means. We finally got a realistic reaction from Clara reacting to another species (finally, you'd think after going to Azkatan she'd be less surprised to see Vatra). I can't see how the Doctor didn't talk his way out of being experimented upon or what Mr. Sweet had to gain by cleansing the entire planet though.
I'm optimistic though. I'm hoping the climax will be satisfactory and once the mystery's been fully resolved (as well as the whole Doc-Tor Who storyline) the story can progress as usual with random adventures in time and space.
I think this episode was 'okay'. It wasn't anything spectacular by any means. We finally got a realistic reaction from Clara reacting to another species (finally, you'd think after going to Azkatan she'd be less surprised to see Vatra). I can't see how the Doctor didn't talk his way out of being experimented upon or what Mr. Sweet had to gain by cleansing the entire planet though.
MisterNegative
Banned
Alright, some of you guys might exaggerate a bit here, while this certainly wasn't the strongest run so far it's far from being as atrocious as you make it to be :/
I had fun with the episode, as usual
Apart from journey to the center of the tardis they've all beEn average or poor.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
I'm really starting to think Clara is the next doctor, honestly.
peanutbutterlatte
Member
When has a Moffat climax ever been satisfactory?
Box of Bunnies
Banned
Er, it was just a parasite feeding on Mrs. Gillyflower and she was using the poison it produced to further her own goals. I really don't think it had any active part in planning anything
equippedwithtowel
Member
I kinda liked it.
If only for the fact that it didn't carry any pretension and had some good scenes. It's pretty unremarkable in the grand scheme of things but I'll take it over something like Akhenaten or Mercy.
If only for the fact that it didn't carry any pretension and had some good scenes. It's pretty unremarkable in the grand scheme of things but I'll take it over something like Akhenaten or Mercy.
equippedwithtowel
Member
That would be fucking terrible. She's too plain to be a companion, I can't imagine how horrible she'd be as the Doctor.
Unless they bring Ecclestone/Tennant/Smith back as her companion.
The villain was pantomime level awful. I kinda like her in Game of Thrones so I'm blaming the script.
What was up with the TomTom thing as well? At first from the way he was speaking I thought he'd be a robot or something, but no, it was just a terrible terrible joke.
The only redeeming parts were the return of the recurring characters and the development of the Clara mystery thing.
For a Gatiss episode it was amazing though. Totally not watching if he's showrunner.
What was up with the TomTom thing as well? At first from the way he was speaking I thought he'd be a robot or something, but no, it was just a terrible terrible joke.
The only redeeming parts were the return of the recurring characters and the development of the Clara mystery thing.
For a Gatiss episode it was amazing though. Totally not watching if he's showrunner.
MisterNegative
Banned
Argh why bring those goddamn kids into the next episode.
StealthGoblin
Banned
The annoying thing is there is no progression.
If Moffat told the script writers 'in your script THIS needs to be revealed about Clara' then we might get a steady bit of mystery to keep us interested. American TV shows are very good at this. Little tidbits on a regular basis that keep you on your toes.
If Moffat told the script writers 'in your script THIS needs to be revealed about Clara' then we might get a steady bit of mystery to keep us interested. American TV shows are very good at this. Little tidbits on a regular basis that keep you on your toes.
Welcome to 89% of Doctor Who episodes.
Hot Coldman
Banned
Doctor Who isn't a serialised show, though, and I honestly believe scripts would suffer if writers had to cram plot details unrelated to their individual stories into every episode. Honestly, the better idea would be to downplay the overall arc, but that ain't happening, not whilst Moffat's in charge.
I dunno why people are getting itchy about it, anyway. It's not been that many episodes, and those episodes have ranged from good to great (besides Ahkaten which was a bit meh). You'll get your conclusion in a fortnight.
89% of Who's jokes don't make you want to shove your palm through to the back of your skull.
LiquidSolid
Member
Doctor's daughter?
No. Just no.
Well, it would if not for the fact they had to keep those
Time tears
Bloody plot hangnail, how I wish I could tear you from my finger.
Hot Coldman
Banned
It was a perfect circle; zero cause, it just happened. Paradoxes can exist when the entire universe is crumbling, you don't need to break a TARDIS to make it happen.
It's a bit flimsy, but it's still a blast to watch.
Ontological paradox.
It happened because it happened. There's no origin of 'information'.
D
Deleted member 10571
Unconfirmed Member
Great, now I kinda want to watch that episode again.
Little Old Man
Member
Another pretty bad episode. Are the BBC going to flip back to not splitting the series into two parts anytime soon?
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