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Doctor Who Series Seven |OT| The Question You've Been Running From All Your Life

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Quick

Banned
Anybody doing a re-watch of the whole series before the Christmas special?

I'm starting back to the 9th Doctor. I'm probably skipping Fear Her, lol.
 

WanderingWind

Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
You know, Technomancer, you're a cool guy. One of the higher-tier posters around here. Anyone who likes El Dorado is good to me.

But your opinion on Steven Moffat is baffling. :p

Agreed. He's the founding member of MTGaf too, so I forgive him his trespasses. But there will be a reckoning, Techno, where you will have to answer for your crimes against Moffat.

Harshly.
 

CorrisD

badchoiceboobies
See, I've always felt that Moffats episodes as great but always feel a little packed in, like on Sherlock he can make some fantastic episodes but they are also longer than the hour he gets for Doctor Who.

An extra 30 minutes minimum for most of his episodes would help quite a bit I think, and then longer for the bigger episodes like the end of a series or like last nights big departing, it would make a world of difference.

I'm sure the BBC aren't being much help either with tighter budgets.
 

D-e-f-

Banned
Anyone feel pissed that they made the "departure of the Ponds" such a big deal in their promo for this series? Announcing that they'd be leaving by episode 5 and that it would be "incredibly sad" and the Weeping Angels were involved pretty much spoiled the whole thing. Once you hear that, you know it's almost inevitable that they have do die in episode 5.

This is the first time I have seen a Doctor Who series as it aired and knowing that beforehand really annoyed me :(
 

The Technomancer

card-carrying scientician
I mean, don't get me wrong, Sherlock is good, I don't regret watching it or anything. But I didn't find it as compelling or interesting as I expected to. I still haven't really felt the urge to go back and rewatch any of it. It just didn't really grab me, and I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan
 
I mean, don't get me wrong, Sherlock is good, I don't regret watching it or anything. But I didn't find it as compelling or interesting as I expected to. I still haven't really felt the urge to go back and rewatch any of it. It just didn't really grab me, and I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan

Maybe that's the difference, I love the show and I only ever had a passing knowledge of Holmes.
 

Xater

Member
I mean, don't get me wrong, Sherlock is good, I don't regret watching it or anything. But I didn't find it as compelling or interesting as I expected to. I still haven't really felt the urge to go back and rewatch any of it. It just didn't really grab me, and I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan

For me the middle episode of sherlock holmes was always weaker but I think both seasons of that are vastly superior to what Doctor Who was this time. I have watched the first Sherlock season 3 times and I will soon watch season 2 for the second time.
 
Anyone feel pissed that they made the "departure of the Ponds" such a big deal about their promo for this series? Announcing that they'd be leaving by episode 5 and that it would be "incredibly sad" and the Weeping Angels were involved pretty much spoiled the whole thing. Once you hear that, you know it's almost inevitable that they have do die in episode 5.

This is the first time I have seen a Doctor Who series as it aired and knowing that beforehand really annoyed me :(
I thought they were going to be reunited with little Melody so I was kinda surprised

The ratings trick that bothered me was 10's fake regeneration in the Stolen Earth. I knew people who were wondering who would play the Doctor in Journey's End, with a few of them looking forward to David Morrissey's interpretation as the Eleventh Doctor.
 

CorvoSol

Member
Once Rory is gone then the scene is fine. But the random "angel out of nowhere, straggling survivor, waiting here for Rory" whatever just felt lazy.

Nevermind the fact that while the episode might have built up to them going out this way, the season built up to it differently. What was the point of the Doctor telling Amy he was running toward her before she faded if she was going to be suddenly and violently taken away instead?
 

EuroMIX

Member
I feel his episodes are generally great fun, although his stand alone episodes in the RTD years had a lot less plot holes in them.

I've raised my thoughts before, but I'll surmise: Moffat was better when he worked on individual stories because his ideas were more self-contained.

To be honest, the only episode of the current five that I felt was truly good through and through, was Dinosaurs on a Spaceship. It kind of took me by surprise how well it seemed to flow.

The biggest flaw with this episode was the mood whiplash of the previous episode, and even within the episode itself. It's just strange having to deal with the idea that the Doctor could lose his companions horribly and then having that hand-waved by Rory's dad, who also brought it up, then in THE VERY NEXT EPISODE we are given a tease of them potentially dying, then getting away and then sudden tragedy as they are effectively lost again. It's just really weird going through the trouble of writing Amy and Rory out of the series then bringing them back to gradually work on writing them out in a similar way, only to pretty much kill them off anyway.
 

D-e-f-

Banned
The biggest flaw with this episode was the mood whiplash of the previous episode, and even within the episode itself. It's just strange having to deal with the idea that the Doctor could lose his companions horribly and then having that hand-waved by Rory's dad, who also brought it up, then in THE VERY NEXT EPISODE we are given a tease of them potentially dying, then getting away and then sudden tragedy as they are effectively lost again. It's just really weird going through the trouble of writing Amy and Rory out of the series then bringing them back to gradually work on writing them out in a similar way, only to pretty much kill them off anyway.

Well said ...this emotional rollercoaster-yo-yo felt totally unnecessary.
 
Really lackluster episode like all of Series 7 so far. So much timey whimey that I couldn't feel anything.

Also the angels have been completely ruined. Can we never see them again, please?
 
At least it wasn't as bad as the Series 6 Series Finale. (I know this is just the mid-season finale) I do agree that this this season has been kind of weak, but I'm just glad there's no single thread going throughout all the episodes.
 

Quick

Banned
I'm currently ripping my Season 1 DVD. Holy shit at the crappy-ass transfer. And not only how bad, but how inconsistent. Rose looks terrible, The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances looks decent. I attribute the quality partly on the camera they used to film the series.
 

fireside

Member
Amy's pretty specific about what he should do, which probably means she remembers it. She didn't say "buzz me with the tardis", she says "tell me stories about what I'll do and let me know what I'm waiting for."

Ironically, I think that probably makes the wait worse. But it's got that fairytale quality that Moffat likes so much.

I must admit, this makes no sense to me. Amy says repeatedly in The Eleventh Hour that she doesn’t see the Doctor again for 12 years after he leaves her that first night. Is he rewriting history again? Was Amy lying during The Eleventh Hour? It seems something like that would require more exploration than just a cute ending picture of young Amelia smiling, looking up at the sky with the TARDIS noise in the background.

I am going to imagine that he comes to her occasionally and visits her while she’s sleeping, which—despite sounding super creepy now that I’ve typed it out—makes slightly more sense given the timeline. She doesn’t remember the visits, but her belief in the Raggedy Doctor persists.
 

Quick

Banned
Calling him "Raggedy Man" rather than "Doctor" was a nice touch. That was the moment she was finally able to let go of him.
 

Quick

Banned
This is why I only pull source from season 1 in my vids if there is no other option. The quality is poor, and looks bad next to the shiny source unless you layer it heavily with effects to make it look like its on purpose.

Edit: Season 2 is a bit inconsistent as well, but to a lesser degree.

I will say that at least it's meant for DVD. Upscaling The Next Doctor to HD and putting it on the Specials Blu-ray made it look terrible.
 

gabbo

Member
Not what I expected at all. I honestly didn't think there was a way I'd sadly and loudly say "No, not like this. No!" when Amy and Rory got on that ledge (with a terrible matte of the Angel of Liberty as the backdrop). I honestly thought I'd be happy to see her go, but they used Rory against me. Good on them I guess.

Not sure how I feel about it overall. the First half of season 7 has been hit and miss a bit.
Not huge on Asylum, loved Dinosaurs, liked Mercy, 2/3rd of Three was amazing, but the end sucked, and Angels was all over the place...
The wrap up at the end was a nice closing to Amy's story, but it also makes the last two seasons (5-7) feel like The Amy Pond Show featuring The Doctor
 

Mariolee

Member
I must admit, this makes no sense to me. Amy says repeatedly in The Eleventh Hour that she doesn’t see the Doctor again for 12 years after he leaves her that first night. Is he rewriting history again? Was Amy lying during The Eleventh Hour? It seems something like that would require more exploration than just a cute ending picture of young Amelia smiling, looking up at the sky with the TARDIS noise in the background.

I am going to imagine that he comes to her occasionally and visits her while she’s sleeping, which—despite sounding super creepy now that I’ve typed it out—makes slightly more sense given the timeline. She doesn’t remember the visits, but her belief in the Raggedy Doctor persists.

Technically it's still the first night.
 

gabbo

Member
I must admit, this makes no sense to me. Amy says repeatedly in The Eleventh Hour that she doesn’t see the Doctor again for 12 years after he leaves her that first night. Is he rewriting history again? Was Amy lying during The Eleventh Hour? It seems something like that would require more exploration than just a cute ending picture of young Amelia smiling, looking up at the sky with the TARDIS noise in the background.

I am going to imagine that he comes to her occasionally and visits her while she’s sleeping, which—despite sounding super creepy now that I’ve typed it out—makes slightly more sense given the timeline. She doesn’t remember the visits, but her belief in the Raggedy Doctor persists.

He could just drop the TARDIS in the area of her house for her to hear and that would likely be enough.
 
Skimming through some bits of The Writer's Tale again, I can't believe that they only have £20,000-£30,000 for production design on a 1 hour special (based on budget stuff printed in here about Voyage of the Damned) - that's insanity! This show is made so cheaply.
 

hamchan

Member
I must admit, this makes no sense to me. Amy says repeatedly in The Eleventh Hour that she doesn’t see the Doctor again for 12 years after he leaves her that first night. Is he rewriting history again? Was Amy lying during The Eleventh Hour? It seems something like that would require more exploration than just a cute ending picture of young Amelia smiling, looking up at the sky with the TARDIS noise in the background.

I am going to imagine that he comes to her occasionally and visits her while she’s sleeping, which—despite sounding super creepy now that I’ve typed it out—makes slightly more sense given the timeline. She doesn’t remember the visits, but her belief in the Raggedy Doctor persists.

I think he's already done this.
 

Mariolee

Member
So the Doctor comes back after Amelia has been waiting for him for eight hours, tells her some stories, and then leaves saying he’ll be back in five minutes, again?


What a jerk

Wait...what? What I'm assuming is the Doctor only comes back once through the TARDIS, talks to Amelia, then whatever happens he leaves. I'm guessing him coming back through the Big Bang was wiped out from existence in the timeline since time restarted.

Like, where did you get that he said he'd be back in five minutes, unless I'm missing something from the Eleventh Hour.
 

fireside

Member
Wait...what? What I'm assuming is the Doctor only comes back once through the TARDIS, talks to Amelia, then whatever happens he leaves. I'm guessing him coming back through the Big Bang was wiped out from existence in the timeline since time restarted.

Like, where did you get that he said he'd be back in five minutes, unless I'm missing something from the Eleventh Hour.

When the Doctor is jumping into his TARDIS, he tells young Amelia he’ll be back in five minutes. Amelia tells the Doctor people always say that, and the Doctor reassures her that he’s “not people”.

And then when the Doctor comes back and figures out it’s been 12 years after looking at the shed, he bugs Amy about why she said it’s been six months. Amy responds with, “Well why did you say five minutes!”
 

D-e-f-

Banned
I just rewatched the endinging starting from the cemetery scene. I'm even more disappointed now 'cause none of it makes sense, plot wise especially. So many holes that just get glossed over like Amy asking why we can't go back and the Doctor saying another paradox will rip NY apart and River just saying "yes it's true" which should make this okay?

I'm perfectly fine with characters dying and stuff being incredibly sad but not when it doesn't make sense! Drives me nuts! There's an emotional tornado raging in my head that really annoys me now and I can't focus on other stuff. GRRRAAA!
 

Mariolee

Member
When the Doctor is jumping into his TARDIS, he tells young Amelia he’ll be back in five minutes. Amelia tells the Doctor people always say that, and the Doctor reassures her that he’s “not people”.

And then when the Doctor comes back and figures out it’s been 12 years after looking at the shed, he bugs Amy about why she said it’s been six months. Amy responds with, “Well why did you say five minutes!”

Ah, so I did miss something. Well, we could chalk this up as the Doctor changing time and her dream actually coming true. Plus, this is in a new timeline since the Eleventh Hour was part of the aborted timeline before the second Big Bang, so maybe in this new timeline she never gets pissed about him saying only five minutes. Wibbly wobbly timey wimey.
 
Skimming through some bits of The Writer's Tale again, I can't believe that they only have £20,000-£30,000 for production design on a 1 hour special (based on budget stuff printed in here about Voyage of the Damned) - that's insanity! This show is made so cheaply.

75 minutes actually ;)
To be fair, a lot of shows will just use the same sets week on week.
 
75 minutes actually ;)
To be fair, a lot of shows will just use the same sets week on week.

This was before VOTD got its expansion - so at the time, that was the budget for 60 minutes. They were given more time (and a relative amount of extra money) later on. But the point stands! Who isn't one of those shows, so it's crazy that is the design budget to me. Everyone at all levels of this show does an amazing job.
 

Quick

Banned
This was before VOTD got its expansion - so at the time, that was the budget for 60 minutes. They were given more time (and a relative amount of extra money) later on. But the point stands! Who isn't one of those shows, so it's crazy that is the design budget to me. Everyone at all levels of this show does an amazing job.

Their recreation of the Oval Office was superb, and they actually repurposed that set for A Good Man Goes To War.
 

8byte

Banned
It's Doctor Who. It's time travel.

Why exactly is anyone legitimately trying to make sense of any of this? There will *always* be plot holes and nonsense if you try to wrap your head around it, simply because it isn't a real possibility.
 
It's Doctor Who. It's time travel.

Why exactly is anyone legitimately trying to make sense of any of this? There will *always* be plot holes and nonsense if you try to wrap your head around it, simply because it isn't a real possibility.

It's a legitimate criticism. We're supposed to feel sad that the Doctor can't see Amy & Rory again, but the reason for this is a previously unmentioned new rule of time travel.
And it's nonsense to say you can't write a time travel story that holds together logically - Moffat's own Blink is the perfect example.
 

GSR

Member
Watched it last night. Thoughts:
  • I watched this immediately after the final three episodes of Cowboy Bebop. I think I might be clinically depressed now.
  • As always, the climactic episodes make me want the soundtrack already. Shame they'll almost certainly pull a S6 and not release it until after the second half of the season is done rather than do two smaller releases.
  • River works a lot better when the plot isn't focused around her.
  • I agree the graveyard scene at the end was very strangely paced. I think if maybe they could've worked Amy's farewell into the roof scene and then had the Doctor and River show up at the graveyard in front of the Amy and Rory grave (still marked as aged 80-something) that would've worked better.
  • Crushing to see Matt Smith lose it like that. I didn't cry, but this episode gave me a lot of feels.
  • Christmas teaser was too short, but I guess they didn't want to ruin the mood.
  • Amy and Rory are the first main companions I've seen their whole tenure live (started watching live with series 4, after Donna had already been introduced). Don't think it's fully sunk in yet.
 

maharg

idspispopd
It's a legitimate criticism. We're supposed to feel sad that the Doctor can't see Amy & Rory again, but the reason for this is a previously unmentioned new rule of time travel.
And it's nonsense to say you can't write a time travel story that holds together logically - Moffat's own Blink is the perfect example.

Who really wrote the Q&A the Doctor has with Sally on that DVD?
 

wwm0nkey

Member
Watched it last night. Thoughts:
  • I watched this immediately after the final three episodes of Cowboy Bebop. I think I might be clinically depressed now.
  • As always, the climactic episodes make me want the soundtrack already. Shame they'll almost certainly pull a S6 and not release it until after the second half of the season is done rather than do two smaller releases.
  • River works a lot better when the plot isn't focused around her.
  • I agree the graveyard scene at the end was very strangely paced. I think if maybe they could've worked Amy's farewell into the roof scene and then had the Doctor and River show up at the graveyard in front of the Amy and Rory grave (still marked as aged 80-something) that would've worked better.
    [*]Crushing to see Matt Smith lose it like that. I didn't cry, but this episode gave me a lot of feels.
  • Christmas teaser was too short, but I guess they didn't want to ruin the mood.
  • Amy and Rory are the first main companions I've seen their whole tenure live (started watching live with series 4, after Donna had already been introduced). Don't think it's fully sunk in yet.
As soon as he read the title of chapter 12. He looked legit disturbed and angry.
 

maharg

idspispopd
Didn't the dude with Sally write it when they had the chat inside the house?

Sure. But the Doctor was just reading it off his notes. They never actually had a conversation to organically give rise to the questions or answers that resulted. The existence of the conversation essentially comes purely out of timey-wimey-wibbly-wobbley.

I mean, it's a bit funny to use that episode as an exemplar of a logically together time travel story when it invented the term we now use to describe the opposite. For good reason, it's very wibbly wobbly.

It's also very good, of course. And I love it. But the original point is entirely right: there is no way to write a time travel story completely free of wibbly wobbley.
 
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