Support NeoGAF

[Cjdamon042]

Oh, what about the title sequence? Darker? Any flickering lights?

Spoiler

Actually brighter, a lot of purple. The first section was similar to the last seasons' titles, but the orange was now purple/pink/red. There was also a lot of pulses and lightning bolts. Quite nice. No Instagram filters for once haha.

Very good episode. Felt like an older episode from RTD era like some have said, but probably better executed. It is a shame about the rushed ending though.

Bring on next week!

 

[8bit]

This week I 'ave been mostly watchin' cubes.

!

 

[APZonerunner]

So many of the big villains lose a sense of menace because they never really seem to hurt the Doctor or the people close to him. If a character is going, its a great opportunity to kill them off. Moffat has already said that once the Ponds are gone there is no going back. They won't feature ever again.

Interestingly, this is one thing that has genuinely changed. Moffat doesn't kill people as much as RTD did, and the series has been significantly less blood soaked since he took over - not a complaint, just an observation. I don't think death is always the answer, as (more minor) people were often getting killed off in vast swathes in episodes then, and it happened too much and did start to lose its effect.

That said, talking to older Who fans, nobody seems to forget Adric, so perhaps it would indeed be massive.

One of the most enduring images of the entire series since its return for me is at the end of Series One, where Dalek fleets wiping out massive amounts of humanity was simply represented via some iconography on a screen with some dialogue. That was really awesome.

Torn on it. What I am keen for is that we don't end up with them showing up over and over again as RTD was obsessive with doing, so I'm glad Moffat has said they're gone for good. Could still find a way, as with Rose, but I hope he resists that temptation. Wouldn't mind one more visit to young Amelia in the same sort of way the Doctor visited pre-2005 Rose when his time comes, as a nod, but past that I really hope we have a clean break from them after this

 

[DieH@rd]

That episode felt like an RTD era episode.

Fantastic build up, great mystery, insurmountable odds.

Oh wait its the last 10 minuites and we have to resolve this. Wave your magic wand/ sonic screwdriver and everything good!

Made no sense... what about all the people in the ship? What was with the weird cube face guys? Why was the ship there in the first place?

Pretty dissapointed by how poorly they resolved such a fantastic set up.

This. I really liked that bad shit happened all the time in the RTD years, humanity god mauled hard few times. Moffat clearly doesn't want that, resolve was very poorly handled and it made this new enemies look extremely weak. I doubt we will see them again, which is a shame.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

*introduce apparently legendary gallifreyian bogeyman*
*have doctor sort them out 1 minute later*

good show

 

[Jex]

Was Rory's dad obsessing over the cube part of the cubes' properties or is he just a quirky character?

It was just part of his character. Which is fine, I don't really mind having his character expanded upon except that it didn't lead to...anything.

 

[Suairyu]

One of the most enduring images of the entire series since its return for me is at the end of Series One, where Dalek fleets wiping out massive amounts of humanity was simply represented via some iconography on a screen with some dialogue. That was really awesome.

One of mine is a single, badly-damaged Dalek wiping out near an entire militarised fortress/vault underground, the chilling cries simply heard over the intercom.

fast-forward

doctor-donna flips a switch and now they be spinning tops with stalks!

fast-forward

Dalek ship piloted by a brand-new breed of super-pure super Daleks! Send in the World War II bomber planes!!

fast-forward

"Who killed all the Daleks?"
"LOL WHO YOU THINK SUCKA?"

 

[Jackpot]

Hard to get your head round 1/3 of world's population being clinically dead for how many minutes and then "getting over it".

 

[Exterminieren]

Holy shit, this Angels Take Manhattan trailer.

hypeeeeee

 

[Keyser Soze]

Hard to get your head round 1/3 of world's population being clinically dead for how many minutes and then "getting over it".

They were been "cared for" - although the writer could have wrote himself out of that hole with a quick mention the boxes had the ability to undo their actions or something.

 

[Hot Coldman]

One of mine is a single, badly-damaged Dalek wiping out near an entire militarised fortress/vault underground, the chilling cries simply heard over the intercom.

fast-forward

doctor-donna flips a switch and now they be spinning tops with stalks!

fast-forward

Dalek ship piloted by a brand-new breed of super-pure super Daleks! Send in the World War II bomber planes!!

fast-forward

"Who killed all the Daleks?"
"LOL WHO YOU THINK SUCKA?"

Oh come on, the last one was a broken Dalek with no shields and no weapons, falling apart at the seams, launched into several similarly fucked-up Daleks.

 

[Suairyu]

Oh come on, the last one was a broken Dalek with no shields and no weapons, falling apart at the seams, launched into several similarly fucked-up Daleks.

In isolation, it might have been forgivable.

In context, it's one of many instances of RTD and Moffat doing their best to make the Daleks as non-threatening as possible.

 

[mightynine]

Is there anything timey-wimey about the fact that they were in Henry VIII's bedroom this episode and it was mentioned last episode that Rory left his charger in Henry VIII's bedroom?

I think Mercy is actually set after this episode, considering that comment, and how much Amy said the Doctor changed when he's on his own. That, and this episode took up a lot of time. But I guess it could have been at any during it. I dunno, it's too wibbly wobbly for me.

Yes, this would be "after" Mercy. On a second watch, you can see the charger in front of Rory when they're hiding under the bed.

Also, wearing same clothes as Mercy in that sequence.

 

[Hot Coldman]

In isolation, it might have been forgivable.

In context, it's one of many instances of RTD and Moffat doing their best to make the Daleks as non-threatening as possible.

Real talk: the Daleks are too ingrained in British culture, too bogged down by years of naff plots (and that's before RTD got his hands on them), and too, well, silly to be threatening ever again. It's over for them. It's been over for decades.

 

[Exterminieren]

Man, I have no fucking clue what's happening with the title sequence.

 

[Dr Zhivago]

No sign of Angry Doctor this week either.

 

[Mariolee]

The lights did go out though, so there's that.

Also, that new trailer looks insane. Seems like there's more of a focus on Rory specifically. Judging from the description, I didn't know

Spoiler

River was also leaving forever.

 

[mightynine]

Could be another bit of foreshadowing: the closed captioning calls it "The Tally" when the Shakri speaks, but it's a lower case t when the Doctor mentions it.

Might be another silence / Silents kinda thing.

 

[Jintor]

Excellent episode. 4 for 4 so far. I wasn't the biggest fan of the conclusion (essentially, wave your sonic at a thingy) but everything leading up to it (and following it) was ace. Also, Brian Cox!

Angels take Manhatten looks sweet.

 

[Exterminieren]

Why do I get the feeling that Kate and the Tally are a kind of Chibnall equivalent of River and Silence Will Fall?

Just seems weird that he's allowed to set up such important characters and unresolved questions.

 

[Hot Coldman]

Why do I get the feeling that Kate and the Tally are a kind of Chibnall equivalent of River and Silence Will Fall?

Just seems weird that he's allowed to set up such important characters and unresolved questions.

Kate already existed, and I don't see anything too important about the Tally.

Also, if Chibnall succeeds Moffat I'd punch a hole Superboy-Prime style through the fabric of timespace

 

[Jintor]

Ha! My favourite of their stories was by a girl who basically wrote 3 A4 pages of The Doctor going on a massive shopping trip through the universe to buy present for all his friends on other planets. Towards the end the Daleks turn up and he desperately tries to get all his gifts inside the TARDIS before escaping.

send to moffat

 

[Exterminieren]

Kate already existed, and I don't see anything too important about the Tally.

Huh. Hadn't realised that about Kate. Is this the first Expanded Universe character to actually appear in the show proper?

I'm not saying the Tally's important, it's just weird that something like that is mentioned and not resolved. If Moffat had written this, we'd all be screaming about it hinting at the future.

Also, if Chibnall succeeds Moffat I'd punch a hole Superboy-Prime style through the fabric of timespace

Yes. Whithouse or bust.

 

[Suairyu]

Also, why did the Doctor only wake up Rory and Pa? All those others died.

Real talk: the Daleks are too ingrained in British culture, too bogged down by years of naff plots (and that's before RTD got his hands on them), and too, well, silly to be threatening ever again. It's over for them. It's been over for decades.

Real talk: this was true except the two episodes they were in with Eccleston made them scary/threatening again.

It would have been nice if they'd kept that up.

 

[Jintor]

I loved the montage of them having silly adventures 'during' their anniversary party

 

[Exterminieren]

I loved the montage of them having silly adventures 'during' their anniversary party

Also the first bit of actual tangible evidence that [SPECULATION]

Spoiler

we're seeing the past 4 episodes backwards chronologically; Rory can be seen with his phone charger in the Henry VIII bit.

 

[Clegg]

Have Rory and Amy been travelling with the Doctor, on and off, for 10 years?

 

[maharg]

Also the first bit of actual tangible evidence that

Spoiler

we're seeing the past 4 episodes backwards chronologically; Rory can be seen with his phone charger in the Henry VIII bit.

Is this actually a spoiler or is it speculation? Because if it's speculation you're confusing things given that there are real spoilers out there.

 

[Jintor]

Have Rory and Amy been travelling with the Doctor, on and off, for 10 years?

In their personal timestream, I guess? Amy might be a few months/weeks longer pre-Rory joining in. It seems shorter in 'real time' though since the Prisoner Zero incident.

 

[Suairyu]

Also the first bit of actual tangible evidence that

Spoiler

we're seeing the past 4 episodes backwards chronologically; Rory can be seen with his phone charger in the Henry VIII bit.

Or that they're at the same time. Could just be that Mercy happened during the slow invasion.

 

[Exterminieren]

Is this actually a spoiler or is it speculation? Because if it's speculation you're confusing things given that there are real spoilers out there.

Sorry, should have made that clear. Just speculation.

 

[Gray Man]

Poor Doctor :/ I hope Amy and Rory don't die.

 

[maharg]

Or that they're at the same time. Could just be that Mercy happened during the slow invasion.

Dinos on a Spaceship has to have happened before Power of Three started, though. At least from the Doctor's perspective, since he didn't know who Brian was.

 

[grimshawish]

Well we know that Power spans years/months - so The Doctor taking his friends to the wild west isn't impossible and does feel like a reference.

Anyway - on the episode - it was pretty 'meh' - some of the advanced reviews were raving about it, but they were hilariously up themselves (its like RTD is back, they claimed!). The episode was alright, some funnny bits and nice emotional bits but nothing spectacular. Meanwhile Chibnall still can't write a plot (more evidence Moffat put his hand into Dinosaurs frankly) to save himself, it was tediously dull and he stole the RTD stuff to make up for a weak plot; the slow changes/invasion then the newsreaders THEN he did the old maguffen - "Oh your a timelord fairy tale" bollocks.

Quite simply Chibbers remains fucking awful and most of my praise for Dinosaurs is frustratingly out the window.

There were bits to enjoy tbf, but I couldn't help feel that Gareth Roberts could have done 3 times the job. Chibnall just nicked off him and Russell.

Next week looks good.

 

[Hot Coldman]

Real talk: this was true except the two episodes they were in with Eccleston made them scary/threatening again.

It would have been nice if they'd kept that up.

I don't think you can keep it up. Once you introduce a plan to the Daleks, shit turns sour. They're only good when they're going nuts, killing everyone, something you can't keep up forever and something other monsters do way better.

 

[infiniteloop]

They've referenced Zygons twice in the Moffat era, time for a comeback!

 

[Jintor]

Well we know that Power spans years/months - so The Doctor taking his friends to the wild west isn't impossible and does feel like a reference.

a year, since Amy notes it in the framing device (and I think the titles on the changing shots implies it)

 

[Gray Man]

Wow, that preview for next week >.>...

Why do Amy and Rory have to go :/

 

[EleventhDoctor]

You know what we need now? An episode where The Doctor teams up with Brian and Wilf.

Based on the preview for next week-does anyone else get the impression that

Spoiler

The TARDIS is stuck-and can't time travel? There seems to be a weird energy around it-and the Doctor mentions that they can't escape...

 

[isny]

Real talk: the Daleks are too ingrained in British culture, too bogged down by years of naff plots (and that's before RTD got his hands on them), and too, well, silly to be threatening ever again. It's over for them. It's been over for decades.

Would you like some teeeeaaaaa?

I concur with those who say this episode felt very RTD'ish in a good way. The ending was incredibly disappointing though as others have mentioned.

Anyone else notice that the power goes out in the UNIT base and is back on a few seconds later with no explanation?

 

[bengraven]

God I'm going to miss them.

I pretty much ignored the cube plot - the point of the episode was the Doctor and the Ponds. That bit between Amy and Doc was great.


Oh and I need to screenshot that part where Amy saves the doctor because dat ass like boom.

 

[Htown]

Anyone else notice that the power goes out in the UNIT base and is back on a few seconds later with no explanation?

Flickering lights thing

 

[Clegg]

Have to agree with Bengraven.

The bit with Amy and the Doctor on the riverside was very touching.

 

[Jintor]

You know what we need now? An episode where The Doctor teams up with Brian and Wilf.

Based on the preview for next week-does anyone else get the impression that

Spoiler

The TARDIS is stuck-and can't time travel? There seems to be a weird energy around it-and the Doctor mentions that they can't escape...

It kind of sounds like

Spoiler

all of NY is time-locked

 

[hardcastlemccormick]

I'm loving Season 7 so far. Please don't moff this up, Moffat.

 

[King of the Potato People]

The ending felt rushed but I'm kind of used to it by now in Doctor Who.

 

[Exterminieren]

As a run of 4 episodes, only Human Nature-The Family of Blood-Blink-Utopia match up to the start of series 7.

If Angels Take Manhattan is as good as it threatens to be, this could well be Nu Who's most consistently good block of episodes.

 

[Suairyu]

I don't think you can keep it up. Once you introduce a plan to the Daleks, shit turns sour. They're only good when they're going nuts, killing everyone, something you can't keep up forever and something other monsters do way better.

Then you show some restraint and only have them once every three years like it used to be in the old days. They should be something special!

The things I would do if I were showrunner...

 

[gdt]

Fun episode, with a real heart to it. Man, losing Amy and Rory is going to hit this show hard. My interest will dip majorly, I fear.

 

[Hot Coldman]

Then you show some restraint and only have them once every three years like it used to be in the old days. They should be something special!

The things I would do if I were showrunner...

You'd get kicked off because the BBC execs would be pissed off about you ignoring the show's most iconic asset.