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[Exterminieren]

His wife's tweeted that it was distracting him through a heavy period of work, which is reasonable enough.

He does get some almighty abuse through that account, though; I've amazed he lasted this long. Was it Moffat who got abuse from someone a few months back saying that he hoped his sons died, or am I thinking of someone else?

 

[SictorVullivan]

His wife's tweeted that it was distracting him through a heavy period of work, which is reasonable enough.

He does get some almighty abuse through that account, though; I've amazed he lasted this long. Was it Moffat who got abuse from someone a few months back saying that he hoped his sons died, or am I thinking of someone else?

I thought that was Tom Daley during the olympics about his Dad?

And isn't there a period of time where he can restore his account before it's gone for good? It's like 30 days or something, but I might need correcting on that.

OT: I thought DoAS was a pretty good episode following on from the amazing series opener last week. I thought the reveal about the owners of the ark was good, Rory's Dad was a very good character and overall the whole 'gang' was great. I had no issues with the resolution re: Solomon, it made sense to me.

The remarks between The Doctor and Amy are also heavily foreshadowing her and Rory's exit, so it will be interesting to see how next weeks episode (which looks awesome) ties into it as well.

So far, so good for series 7.

 

[Kai Dracon]

The remarks between The Doctor and Amy are also heavily foreshadowing her and Rory's exit, so it will be interesting to see how next weeks episode (which looks awesome) ties into it as well.

So far, so good for series 7.

Yeah it seems more this than foreshadowing actual death. In fact, two points:

1. The Doctor is getting more visibly angry at himself for 'screwing up' people, such as companions. His comments to the TARDIS computer when he was shot with the poison, for instance. "There must be someone I haven't screwed up yet", or something like that.

2. Amy is clearly becoming incapable of normal life without time adventures and the Doctor. Reasonable actually, if the Doctor existed in real life it'd be hard to blame someone who felt being stuck on Earth in a mundane existence was unacceptable. Has "companion addiction" ever been fully dealt with before?

The problem here is that if you step back Amy Pond's history and life ARE really screwed up from a young age thanks to the Doctor. All the other companions had a life and context before, and something to return to when the Doctor leaves.

But Amy has nothing. Since she was a kid her life revolved around dreaming about the raggedy man. The Doctor may be concerned about an 'intervention' to try and give her what he sees as a normal life.

Should be interesting, as it's hard to imagine how that would work at this point. Amy is even becoming competent on her own as a Space Adventurer, I think her taking charge of the situation and figuring stuff out on her own in this episode was a rather intentional indication of that.

 

[Bossun]

Strong start for season 7.

It does feel like we're gonna see the end of Amy and Rory. The doctor's dialogue with Amy gave a very Tennanty feeling of the things, especially before Tennant left.
It shows what we already know too, that the doctor gets attached to his companions and then have to left them because he outlived all of them and it's painful for him and the companions every time he leaves. Especially for Amy whose whole life revolves around the doctor.

I don't mind the end of Solomon, Tennant was sometimes bad, really bad and unforgiving, what was a surprise is that's it's the first time for the 11th (I think).

 

[Fuzzy]

This new t-shirt is killing me. There's something about a Dalek as a barista that makes me laugh. :lol

http://www.teefury.com/

 

[Exterminieren]

If we count The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon as one story, I'd say series 7 has had the strongest opening pair of any of them. Only series 3 competes, but The Shakespeare Code was a bit shonky.

Next week comes from the guy I consider to be heir apparent to Moffat's job, Toby Whithouse, so that should be good too.

 

[Hot Coldman]

Next week looks fantastic. I do like the new trend of actual American actors in Who (rather than getting British actors to put on god awful New York accents). And the Gunslinger looks bad-ass.

 

[Exterminieren]

Also, glorious Almeria location filming. If we are to have a lower budget, let's use it to make our Western authentic.

I do like the new trend of actual American actors in Who (rather than getting British actors to put on god awful New York accents).

True, although Mark Sheppard is actually British, despite what everyone thinks. The bad accents are one of the things that made Daleks in Manhatten intolerable.

 

[bengraven]

Liked:

- probably the funniest episode of Moffat's run so far
- story actually made sense to have dinosaurs on a spaceship
- dark! Solomon causing genocide on the Salurians was shocking and he made a great villain
- it's dinosaurs...on a SPACESHIP!
- effects were very tolerable and some of the best non-film dinosaurs I've seen.

Loved:

- the scene with Rory's dad eating his lunch at the door of the TARDIS is seriously the best sequence in New Who after the stars and Victor scene. This scene itself was to me just as powerful as the entire Victor episode. Really great. I think many of us pictured our own dad sitting in the TARDIS door, sipping some coffee or tea and eating his baggied sandwich. I teared up a sec.


Didn't:

- intro was too rushed
- maybe a few too many guest stars? Were Nef and the hunter really necessary when you already had the Ponds and Rory's dad? Usually when a guest companion shows up, like Rory's dad, he gets the focus of the episode, but he had to share it with two unecessary characters. At least Nef wasn't needed...as hot as she was (oh my god, her "bedhead" scene at the end), at least the hunter got to hunt and be all bwana on us.

Hated:

- how sad the episode made me feel. The Doctor and the Ponds are kind of growing apart...they're basically over his showing up once a year or more in their lives. He needs them, but doesn't realize what he's doing to them - in fact, the Doctor is almost IMMATURE in this episode, which I think is the point Moffat is making about how the Ponds let him have fun, but this new companion is going to make him act like an adult again.

All in all, very sad.

I love the Ponds, both of them, hell all three of them ("I am NOT a Pond!"), but at this point I'm almost looking forward to the end so I can stop feeling sad about them going.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

True, although Mark Sheppard is actually British, despite what everyone thinks. The bad accents are one of the things that made Daleks in Manhatten intolerable.

Speaking of Daleks in Manhattan, (and British actors masquerading as Americans), so weird how Andrew Garfield was in it, and a relatively small actor back then.

 

[Exterminieren]

Andrew Garfield playing a New Yorker? Absolutely absurd.

Carey Mulligan's been on a similar career trajectory. Damned Hollywood, preventing us from having any more Sally Sparrow adventures.

 

[lunarworks]

Did anyone else feel like they were trying to foreshadow Amy's death?

"No, come on Pond. You'll be there until the end of me."
"Or vice versa"
Then the Doctor just looks at her.

I get the impression that he knows something about Amy, or is worried or something.

I think he's been getting along with them for so long that he'd nicely forgotten about his amazing ability to lose companions. She says that, then "click", he starts thinking about it.

 

[Reno7728]

I think he's been getting along with them for so long that he'd nicely forgotten about his amazing ability to lose companions. She says that, then "click", he starts thinking about it.

One theory i've read elsewhere is that the Doctor could be out of sync with the ponds, so has already seen their end/departure. He could be trying to make up for whatever happens to them by giving them some last adventures

 

[Goldrush]

I am guessing that we are heading toward another Donna-ish mind wipe or rewriting Amy and Rory time with the Doctor out of history. Fits with the theme that people are forgetting the Doctor. After the previous episode revelation of Amy's inability to have kids, I guessing River will be a part of it too.

 

[Sadist]

Oh Amy was so pretty again this episode *swoons*

Poor triceratops

 

[ScreenSplitter]

I am guessing that we are heading toward another Donna-ish mind wipe or rewriting Amy and Rory time with the Doctor out of history. Fits with the theme that people are forgetting the Doctor. After the previous episode revelation of Amy's inability to have kids, I guessing River will be a part of it too.

Seeing as Ep5 is set in New York, going to stay in 1960's New York to raise Melody then ship her off to England when the time is right. Calling it.

 

[EleventhDoctor]

Seeing as Ep5 is set in New York, going to stay in 1960's New York to raise Melody then ship her off to England when the time is right. Calling it.

Yes but then if they do that why is she still a cold blooded killer in Let's Kill Hitler.

 

[Floex]

Well that episode was just awful. I was in two minds to just switch it off there and then. This season has gotten off to a terrible start for me, I hate the Daleks (no one will convince me to like them), shitty CG dinosaurs and stories that arn't going anywhere

Still, looking forward to next weeks, cyborgs and westerns, now they're talking my language

 

[border]

As much as I like Doctor Who, I hate it for the fact that it genuinely makes me hate most of society. It brings out the absolute stupidest of the community.

Many pages ago there was a quotation from an article or blog about how Doctor Who is less fun now that it is insanely popular. Everyone here immediately dismissed it as typical "I liked it before it was cool" hipster bullshit.

Honestly though, following the show has just become a lot less fun now that everyone watches. I don't have much of anything in common with the people that are fans -- which wasn't really true back when the show had a cult following.

 

[ahoyhoy]

Many pages ago there was a quotation from an article or blog about how Doctor Who is less fun now that it is insanely popular. Everyone here immediately dismissed it as typical "I liked it before it was cool" hipster bullshit.

Honestly though, following the show has just become a lot less fun now that everyone watches. I don't have much of anything in common with the people that are fans -- which wasn't really true back when the show had a cult following.

... and I'd still say that sounds like "typical hipster bullshit" as you so eloquently put it.

There might be a lot of people HERE watching it, but I think if you were to ask around in places outside of The Internet, you wouldn't find very many people into the show.

And that's beside the point as well, since, really, the amount of people enjoying something should have zero bearing on your own enjoyment of said thing, unless you only really enjoy something because it's realtively obscure or underground and not because you actually think it's good, in which case... typical hipster bullshit.

 

[The Real Abed]

Yes but then if they do that why is she still a cold blooded killer in Let's Kill Hitler.

Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey.

Well that episode was just awful. I was in two minds to just switch it off there and then. This season has gotten off to a terrible start for me, I hate the Daleks (no one will convince me to like them)

Even if they're behind the counter at Starbucks getting you your morning coffee?

 

[Error]

I thought it was pretty fun, one of the better post-premiere episodes so far.

 

[Kilrogg]

Didn't like this episode all that much, and I'm surprised of the nearly unanimous praise here.

Not that it was really poor, but it was just there. 'Okay, I guess the Doctor just dealt with some dinosaurs in a spaceship and Walder Frey was as creepy as ever. Also, Silurians, Rory's dad, Nefertiti and Lestrade as a hunter.' Bit too many characters introduced and involved.

Overall I felt like this was some kind of dull second part of a 2-parter, except there was no part 1. It's as if nothing happened and too much happened at the same time.

 

[EleventhDoctor]

If anything-seeing Lestrade here makes me want to rewatch Sherlock!

 

[twobear]

I spent the whole episode thinking about how hot Rupert Graves is and how much I want to sex him

 

[Kilrogg]

At least now we can have 'Not my division' jokes in Doctor Who!

Or jokes about incest and (Game of Thrones 3rd book spoiler)

Spoiler

weddings going wrong!

 

[Hot Coldman]

I just re-watched it. For such a throwaway episode (I loved it, but it really is throwaway), there's a crazy amount of elements introduced. Nefertiti, the pirate, the dinosaurs, a look at the measures the Silurians took to avoid extinction, Rory's dad... a fucking man-made beach that acts as an engine... ridiculous how much stuff gets put into a Who episode nowadays.

I spent the whole episode thinking about how hot Rupert Graves is and how much I want to sex him

Big weapons guy, huh?

 

[EleventhDoctor]

I spent the whole episode thinking about how hot Rupert Graves is and how much I want to sex him

He seemed a lot thinner there than he does on Sherlock...

 

[Floex]

Wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey.


Even if they're behind the counter at Starbucks getting you your morning coffee?

I would throw the coffee right back in their face and walk out in disgust

 

[border]

... and I'd still say that sounds like "typical hipster bullshit" as you so eloquently put it.

There might be a lot of people HERE watching it, but I think if you were to ask around in places outside of The Internet, you wouldn't find very many people into the show.

And that's beside the point as well, since, really, the amount of people enjoying something should have zero bearing on your own enjoyment of said thing, unless you only really enjoy something because it's realtively obscure or underground and not because you actually think it's good, in which case... typical hipster bullshit.

I said that following Doctor Who is not as fun. I don't think the show's popularity has any bearing on its quality. The culture surrounding it is simply not as fun, because there's no affinity I feel for the people that follow it. If you watched DW even 4 years ago, it probably meant more and said more about you.

I think you seriously underestimate how much the show has blown up. It's on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. Normal people recognize it when I have a shirt with the TARDIS on it. I went to an Art Walk event over a year ago and had 3 separate people compliment my shirt. I went to DragonCon a week ago and the number of people in DW themed outfits far, far out numbered the Star Wars/Star Trek outfits. I probably saw more girls in Dalek/TARDIS-themed dresses than I did actual Doctors! The show has very broad appeal.

 

[Exterminieren]

I can't really relate. As a Brit, it's always been popular here.

 

[mclem]

So, a thought: Given the whole 'Doctor Who?' and him being anonymous this season, what are the odds of a "Man with no name" reference next week?

 

[Mariolee]

I said that following Doctor Who is not as fun. I don't think the show's popularity has any bearing on its quality. The culture surrounding it is simply not as fun, because there's no affinity I feel for the people that follow it. If you watched DW even 4 years ago, it probably meant more and said more about you.

I think you seriously underestimate how much the show has blown up. It's on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. Normal people recognize it when I have a shirt with the TARDIS on it. I went to an Art Walk event over a year ago and had 3 separate people compliment my shirt. I went to DragonCon a week ago and the number of people in DW themed outfits far, far out numbered the Star Wars/Star Trek outfits. I probably saw more girls in Dalek/TARDIS-themed dresses than I did actual Doctors! The show has very broad appeal.

Seems like you might just have issues sharing. But I do agree that Doctor Who has had a huge boom in popularity in America since Series 6. I had a friend of mine make a Doctor Who reference, and he's never even watched the show.

 

[RichardAM]

Thought it was a damn solid episode and really fun. Loved the whole gang and them interacting with each other, enjoyed it.

 

[border]

Seems like you might just have issues sharing. But I do agree that Doctor Who has had a huge boom in popularity in America since Series 6. I had a friend of mine make a Doctor Who reference, and he's never even watched the show.

I think it's more that when I meet someone who's a self-professed DW fan, it doesn't tell me anything about them anymore. You used to be able to make a few general assumptions about the show's followers -- they were probably Anglophiles that followed other BBC stuff, they were probably science fiction connoisseurs, they were probably into other forms of semi-intellectual genre fiction. To hear someone say "I like Doctor Who" now is as meaningless as to hear them say "I like Star Wars". I suppose it's always been like that in the UK though......it's just taken 50 years for the States to get to the same position.

There's also I guess the clash of cultures and perceptions of what the show is actually supposed to be about. Someone pages earlier said something to the extent of "How could you not like the premiere? It was full of explosions and Daleks!" As production values ramp up and its production team tries to keep hold of the huge American audience they've snared, there is the concern that it will become too action-oriented or too broad.

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

Really fun episode that had a good amount of seriousness in the 2nd half.Love me some vengeful Doctor, the guys who really piss him off deserve it so much. There was some absurd coincidental elements (the ship needs 2 related people to fly it! The signal is just an orb I can drop on your ship! I've taken control of the teleporter entirely!) and some funny business with the Queen that I'm sure isn't an entirely true depiction whatsoever, but fuk it. Made for some damn fun moments and great emotional beats. I could see myself rewatching this one a lot.

 

[lunarworks]

The action orientation sorta started with RTD, before it blew up in the US. It also coincided with them abandoning the serial format, which leads to a different type of storytelling.

 

[Necrovex]

Finally started my adventure on the Who train. Started with Smith (after watching Blink and the Library episodes), this better be damn amazing.

 

[Shanks]

If I was interested in catching some of the classic series of Doctor Who, anybody have a few suggestions for some of the series I should check out? I'm partial to no particular doctor! There are dozens of them on iTunes.

 

[Tizoc]

Am I the only one who thought it strange that he let Solomon and robots die?
Then again it could be because Ten was more caring of life.
Otherwise a nice episode, looking forward to the next one.
BTW, what's up with the colors in the new intro? They seem very saturated.

 

[lunarworks]

Am I the only one who thought it strange that he let Solomon and robots die?
Then again it could be because Ten was more caring of life.
Otherwise a nice episode, looking forward to the next one.

11 carries an air of naivety, but when it comes down to it you don't mess with him. He values life, but not the life of someone who has no value of life.

BTW, what's up with the colors in the new intro? They seem very saturated.

Matt Smith must have run it through Instagram.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

Am I the only one who thought it strange that he let Solomon and robots die?
Then again it could be because Ten was more caring of life.
Otherwise a nice episode, looking forward to the next one.
BTW, what's up with the colors in the new intro? They seem very saturated.

It's pretty strange for the Doctor to straight up kill anybody. We've heard about him mass murdering Daleks and Time Lords, but he did that for the greater good. Solomon was straight up revenge. I mean, Ten even offered to save Davros by bringing him on the Tardis.

The new episodes have unique intros, so the colors/logo will be different every week. Quite cool really.

 

[Htown]

So, a thought: Given the whole 'Doctor Who?' and him being anonymous this season, what are the odds of a "Man with no name" reference next week?

I'd say one hundred percent

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

This one was pretty reminiscent of that one with 10 where he fucked up that alien family, leaving one of them to float forever in space chained up or something. I think it was the Family of blood two parter, right? Anyways, Doctor has Batman morals on occasion when necessary like "I don't have to kill you, but I don't have to save you either". I wouldn't have been happy if they found a way to redeem the POS in this episode.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

I'd say one hundred percent

I'll be personally disappointed if next week's episode doesn't have this playing on the TARDIS radio.

 

[Hex]

Am I the only one who thought it strange that he let Solomon and robots die?
Then again it could be because Ten was more caring of life.
Otherwise a nice episode, looking forward to the next one.
BTW, what's up with the colors in the new intro? They seem very saturated.

Not strange at all, 9 would have done the same and 10 may have also in this case.
The man murdered a ship full of Silurians for profit, and showed no remorse and put everyone else in danger.
You do not fuck with the Doctor's friends and mass murder? That is right the hell out.

 

[APZonerunner]

I think the one thing that worries me a little about this year's approach - to chime in on the action thing - is that it eliminates the chance for episodes like Midnight or Blink. Moffat's era has generally been a bit more action packed in general, I think, and this year's focus on "Blockbuster" episodes with movie-style posters is cool, but it worries me if this becomes a more long-term approach. Speaking of Blink, the whole shift is characterized by the direction the angels have taken, really.

RTD often had 'bigger' stuff - we've not really seen something that scale wise is as ridiculous as Journey's End, but S1-4 were punctuated with a lot more quiet and slwoer moments than 5/6/7 have been.

The show is about reinvention, though, so I'm sure it'll be fine... but I'm also sure the newfound US popularity is feeding this action-packed approach, which means if the show continues to grow there we could see it continue for a good time yet.

 

[The Elite]

Finally started my adventure on the Who train. Started with Smith (after watching Blink and the Library episodes), this better be damn amazing.

Good way to start.

 

[Exterminieren]

I think the one thing that worries me a little about this year's approach - to chime in on the action thing - is that it eliminates the chance for episodes like Midnight or Blink. Moffat's era has generally been a bit more action packed in general, I think, and this year's focus on "Blockbuster" episodes with movie-style posters is cool, but it worries me if this becomes a more long-term approach. Speaking of Blink, the whole shift is characterized by the direction the angels have taken, really.

RTD often had 'bigger' stuff - we've not really seen something that scale wise is as ridiculous as Journey's End, but S1-4 were punctuated with a lot more quiet and slwoer moments than 5/6/7 have been.

The show is about reinvention, though, so I'm sure it'll be fine... but I'm also sure the newfound US popularity is feeding this action-packed approach, which means if the show continues to grow there we could see it continue for a good time yet.

I can sort of sympathise, but it's more of a shift in emphasis than a straightforward move towards action. RTD would never, ever in a million years have began a series on such a murky, ambiguous and dark episode as Asylum; New Earth or Partners in Crime was more his speed, which both have more straightforward action sequences than Asylum would think of touching.

 

[InaudibleWhispa]

Fun episode. I don't understand complaints about the CG. It's a TV show, is there really anything leaps and bounds better? They didn't look particularly worse than Terra Nova, for example, which was a show all about dinosaurs and probably had 4x the budget.