Capaldi definitely seems a lot more comfortable the second time around. That opening scene in the TARDIS felt like the work of people pretty secure in how they want to present their new Doctor.
The whole show just feels more grown-up compared to the Smith era. The meeting of Clara and Danny was handled in a way we'd never have gotten in the last few years, and Danny seems to be a much more complex character than Mickey or Rory.
I'm a little torn over how they're handling the Daleks. I get that we're past the era of just throwing the Daleks in and having them try to conquer something, but sometimes I wish we could get a story like that instead of these explorations of what makes a Dalek a Dalek. I've heard that they're required to use the Daleks at least once a series to keep the rights, and sometimes it just feels forced. I think they'd be a lot more effective if they went away for several years, returning for something big.
That said, though, this was well done, and I certainly wasn't disappointed by it. I just feel like there are better stories to come with this Doctor.
"I thought you were saving him" "he was already dead I was saving us" this is a brutally pragmatic Doctor
reminds me a bit of Pertwee
Wasn't Pertwee a little nicer, though? Deep down a softie? It's been quite a few years since I watched him, though I'm coming up on his era in my ongoing Classic Who marathon. My memory of him is as an angry teenager trapped in an older man's body (which makes sense, since he's essentially been grounded and sent to his room by the Time Lords). They're both not fond of soldiers, though. But Pertwee still worked with some for five years. This Doctor doesn't even want one joining his TARDIS crew.
Capaldi may be the first time we've had an older Doctor who acts like an older Doctor.
yeah i think pertwee was a bit kinder. i'm with you on that. this iteration of the doctor is kind of a jerk. SO going back to episode 1
*spoiler here*
who do you think went against their basic programming? I think the Doctor straight murdered that dude.
I like the new slower pacing to the episodes. there were times the Smith era felt frenetic and frantic in a really unpleasant way, for me. straightforward solid story is a win for me.
At first I thought the Doctor pushed him. But, I've read plenty of things that make me think he could have also convinced him to jump. But since The Doctor's killed before, it's not as if he's really "programmed" to never kill.
The pacing in the Smith era had gotten out of control. By his last season, it felt like he would hop out of the TARDIS and then everyone would run and shout for 45 minutes. I know we're not going to go back the slow pace of the classic series (probably a good thing), but plenty of shows manage to tell an evenly paced story in under an hour. There shouldn't be so much to cram in that we can't stop and just let the actors act now and again.
I was telling my wife during the last episode that this is The Doctor I've wanted to see for a long time. I wouldn't want to necessarily see him again, since I like the way the show often flips things around with each regeneration, but it's about time we got a harsh, older Doctor.
I liked it a lot more than I expected. I was expecting it to be the weak spot in this season, but instead it looks like it'll be a refreshing change of pace in between two bleak stories.
It lived or died on whether the comedy worked, and I thought everyone played it quite well. The spoon thing was a little silly, and shooting the arrow just right to save the ship felt like something out of a Russell Davies episode, but otherwise I thought it was great.
I think I'm done with the Doctor for now. I'll wait out the Capaldi/Moffat era and regroup on the other side. No offense to Capaldi, who seems more than capable, but these episodes thus far are killing me. I find myself just existing until the end credits appear.
Now Clara's the impetus for the Doctor's fearlessness? AND she is the ancestor of the last man in the universe? ANOTHER take on the blink/silence/corner of my eye thing?
And If I hear that freakin dopey Clara theme song again....
I think I'm done with the Doctor for now. I'll wait out the Capaldi/Moffat era and regroup on the other side. No offense to Capaldi, who seems more than capable, but these episodes thus far are killing me. I find myself just existing until the end credits appear.
Now Clara's the impetus for the Doctor's fearlessness? AND she is the ancestor of the last man in the universe? ANOTHER take on the blink/silence/corner of my eye thing?
And If I hear that freakin dopey Clara theme song again....
I'm sorry, but I'm done for now.
Spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers
spoilers
spoilers
Dear lord in heaven. I like Capaldi a lot, but this was one of the MOST frustrating episodes I've ever seen. Moffat just LOVES to have people babble about nothing and have timelines all ripped up and rearranged.
How much influence does Clara have over the Doctor for crying out loud. She was already the MOST important person in his life, and now she affects him in yet another way? C'mon.
And not only that, but why did they go back to Ruperts past? Why did following Clara's psyche lead to that? Or to the future with her great grand child or what have you. What? What whaaaat?
Oh the Tardis has never been to the end of the universe before? Really? REALLY?
I'm tired of Moffat's obsession with danger you can't see, and creepy men in space suits. I've had it.
Edit: I didn't think it'd be possible, but somehow Moffat created even MORE of a Mary Sue than River. Clara might be the most Mary Sue character in the history of mainstream television.
I remember people complaining on various blogs or mesage boards about Rose and Bad Wolf. At least Rose only wrote a sign across time to try and send the doctor a message. Clara has actually been all over the Doctor's history and influenced seemingly every aspect of his history. Moffat is basically putting the largest personal stamp on an established character that I personally have ever witnessed.
Our Listen review hit iTunes on Thursday. If you with to hear my thoughts, as well as those of my co-hosts, check out Wanderers in the 4th Dimension on iTunes or Libsyn. I will say that our individual ratings for the episode varied from one extreme to the other.
I was blown away the day I watched King Ralph and saw that Camille Coduri was the love interest. I loved that movie as a kid. Not that there was a good reason for it. That movie was terrible.
(possible casting spoilers if you haven't watched Time Heist yet)
King Ralph, that has John Goodman in it, right? I vaguely recall seeing a trailer for it ages, but I never saw the movie.
Speaking of actresses who appeared on Doctor Who and elsewhere, while discussing Time Heist on this week's Wanderers in the 4th Dimension podcast, I was surprised by the revelation that Ms Delphox/Madame Karabraxos actress Keeley Hawes was the voice of Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider video games.
I was blown away the day I watched King Ralph and saw that Camille Coduri was the love interest. I loved that movie as a kid. Not that there was a good reason for it. That movie was terrible.
I think I'm done with the Doctor for now. I'll wait out the Capaldi/Moffat era and regroup on the other side. No offense to Capaldi, who seems more than capable, but these episodes thus far are killing me. I find myself just existing until the end credits appear.
Now Clara's the impetus for the Doctor's fearlessness? AND she is the ancestor of the last man in the universe? ANOTHER take on the blink/silence/corner of my eye thing?
And If I hear that freakin dopey Clara theme song again....
I'm sorry, but I'm done for now.
Spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers
spoilers
spoilers
Dear lord in heaven. I like Capaldi a lot, but this was one of the MOST frustrating episodes I've ever seen. Moffat just LOVES to have people babble about nothing and have timelines all ripped up and rearranged.
How much influence does Clara have over the Doctor for crying out loud. She was already the MOST important person in his life, and now she affects him in yet another way? C'mon.
And not only that, but why did they go back to Ruperts past? Why did following Clara's psyche lead to that? Or to the future with her great grand child or what have you. What? What whaaaat?
Oh the Tardis has never been to the end of the universe before? Really? REALLY?
I'm tired of Moffat's obsession with danger you can't see, and creepy men in space suits. I've had it.
Edit: I didn't think it'd be possible, but somehow Moffat created even MORE of a Mary Sue than River. Clara might be the most Mary Sue character in the history of mainstream television.
I remember people complaining on various blogs or mesage boards about Rose and Bad Wolf. At least Rose only wrote a sign across time to try and send the doctor a message. Clara has actually been all over the Doctor's history and influenced seemingly every aspect of his history. Moffat is basically putting the largest personal stamp on an established character that I personally have ever witnessed.
Oh, my God... I thought I was all alone!...
Yeah... Moffat's rewiring of all things Doctor reminds me of Alan Moore's Dorothy/Wendy/Alice three-way Lost Girls book... unnecessary, out of character, and adding nothing to the mythology.
At this point, I feel his obsession with Clara and her single-handedly being the fiber that holds together the universe has gotten in the way of using the character of the Doctor to tell a good story.
I think I'm done with the Doctor for now. I'll wait out the Capaldi/Moffat era and regroup on the other side. No offense to Capaldi, who seems more than capable, but these episodes thus far are killing me. I find myself just existing until the end credits appear.
Now Clara's the impetus for the Doctor's fearlessness? AND she is the ancestor of the last man in the universe? ANOTHER take on the blink/silence/corner of my eye thing?
And If I hear that freakin dopey Clara theme song again....
I'm sorry, but I'm done for now.
Spoilers spoilers spoilers spoilers
spoilers
spoilers
Dear lord in heaven. I like Capaldi a lot, but this was one of the MOST frustrating episodes I've ever seen. Moffat just LOVES to have people babble about nothing and have timelines all ripped up and rearranged.
How much influence does Clara have over the Doctor for crying out loud. She was already the MOST important person in his life, and now she affects him in yet another way? C'mon.
And not only that, but why did they go back to Ruperts past? Why did following Clara's psyche lead to that? Or to the future with her great grand child or what have you. What? What whaaaat?
Oh the Tardis has never been to the end of the universe before? Really? REALLY?
I'm tired of Moffat's obsession with danger you can't see, and creepy men in space suits. I've had it.
Edit: I didn't think it'd be possible, but somehow Moffat created even MORE of a Mary Sue than River. Clara might be the most Mary Sue character in the history of mainstream television.
I remember people complaining on various blogs or mesage boards about Rose and Bad Wolf. At least Rose only wrote a sign across time to try and send the doctor a message. Clara has actually been all over the Doctor's history and influenced seemingly every aspect of his history. Moffat is basically putting the largest personal stamp on an established character that I personally have ever witnessed.
Oh, my God... I thought I was all alone!...
Yeah... Moffat's rewiring of all things Doctor reminds me of Alan Moore's Dorothy/Wendy/Alice three-way Lost Girls book... unnecessary, out of character, and adding nothing to the mythology.
At this point, I feel his obsession with Clara and her single-handedly being the fiber that holds together the universe has gotten in the way of using the character of the Doctor to tell a good story.
Whoa, you think that Clara is MORE of a Mary-Sue than "I recreated the whole universe from memory, gave birth to the most amazing time-human hybrid ever over which an intergalactic war was started and am the doctors mother in law, and everyone either loves me or is in love with me" Amy Pond?
It is a bit much to place on the shoulders of Clara, but for the most part that element of her character was wrapped up in "The Name of the Doctor". "Listen" brought it back some, but I think it was more a case of for the story to work, the Companion in that episode had to be the literal hand coming out from under the bed. At this point in time, that's Clara. The story could work with any other companion, as long at they end up underneath that bed, so I didn't feel like this was a retread of the "Impossible Girl" plot.
Would have been nice if it was someone different, but you play with the cards you're dealt. And why hold off on using such a great story when you're trying to impress people with a new Doctor? I think for a lot of viewers, this ended up being the point at which they were completely impressed by Capaldi in the role.
My problem with Who is recent years is that the Doctor needs to be the most interesting character on the screen. The show is called Doctor Who. He needs to be the most compelling, interesting character in the show. Not that other characters can't have excellent arcs and good stories but the Doctor needs to be the center. Thor: the Dark World came very close to being the Loki show in the the same way The Dark Knight became the Joker Show. That doesn't mean the movies were bad per se but the main characters suffered because they were overshadowed by other (admittedly great) performances. I think it is the writers job to prevent that. Moffet seems to relish his darling companions. Sometimes to such a degree that the Doctor looks incompetent.
The Companions to me are kind of like the minor characters that always turn up in the rosters of the Justice League or the Avengers. You wonder why they're devoting so much time to Red Tornado or Wonder Man, and the reason why is because they can actually do things with those characters, whereas they can't with Superman or Captain America.
Writers like Moffat and Davies are probably drawn to the Companions these days because they're more adaptable to the style of character arc storytelling that's popular in television no. They change, and they have an ending, more than The Doctor ever will.
The Companions to me are kind of like the minor characters that always turn up in the rosters of the Justice League or the Avengers. You wonder why they're devoting so much time to Red Tornado or Wonder Man, and the reason why is because they can actually do things with those characters, whereas they can't with Superman or Captain America.
Writers like Moffat and Davies are probably drawn to the Companions these days because they're more adaptable to the style of character arc storytelling that's popular in television no. They change, and they have an ending, more than The Doctor ever will.
Well-said!
Since the revival of the series, there has been a change in the role/importance of the Companions.
Comments
The whole show just feels more grown-up compared to the Smith era. The meeting of Clara and Danny was handled in a way we'd never have gotten in the last few years, and Danny seems to be a much more complex character than Mickey or Rory.
I'm a little torn over how they're handling the Daleks. I get that we're past the era of just throwing the Daleks in and having them try to conquer something, but sometimes I wish we could get a story like that instead of these explorations of what makes a Dalek a Dalek. I've heard that they're required to use the Daleks at least once a series to keep the rights, and sometimes it just feels forced. I think they'd be a lot more effective if they went away for several years, returning for something big.
That said, though, this was well done, and I certainly wasn't disappointed by it. I just feel like there are better stories to come with this Doctor.
*spoiler here*
who do you think went against their basic programming? I think the Doctor straight murdered that dude.
I like the new slower pacing to the episodes. there were times the Smith era felt frenetic and frantic in a really unpleasant way, for me. straightforward solid story is a win for me.
The pacing in the Smith era had gotten out of control. By his last season, it felt like he would hop out of the TARDIS and then everyone would run and shout for 45 minutes. I know we're not going to go back the slow pace of the classic series (probably a good thing), but plenty of shows manage to tell an evenly paced story in under an hour. There shouldn't be so much to cram in that we can't stop and just let the actors act now and again.
There's a distinct "enough of this foolishness" aspect to him.
I am very curious to see how the Bowtie & Fez Brigade react to this incarnation.
Bravo to Moffat & Co. for making such a big, brave change.
(Then again, when am I not?)
It lived or died on whether the comedy worked, and I thought everyone played it quite well. The spoon thing was a little silly, and shooting the arrow just right to save the ship felt like something out of a Russell Davies episode, but otherwise I thought it was great.
Oh and I enjoyed tonight's episode a lot too. But not as much as that nod in the trailer. I totally marked out for that. The power of nostalgia!
Now Clara's the impetus for the Doctor's fearlessness? AND she is the ancestor of the last man in the universe? ANOTHER take on the blink/silence/corner of my eye thing?
And If I hear that freakin dopey Clara theme song again....
I'm sorry, but I'm done for now.
I put together a compilation of those mug shots that appear ever-so-briefly in the trailer for Time Heist.
spoilers
spoilers
Dear lord in heaven. I like Capaldi a lot, but this was one of the MOST frustrating episodes I've ever seen. Moffat just LOVES to have people babble about nothing and have timelines all ripped up and rearranged.
How much influence does Clara have over the Doctor for crying out loud. She was already the MOST important person in his life, and now she affects him in yet another way? C'mon.
And not only that, but why did they go back to Ruperts past? Why did following Clara's psyche lead to that? Or to the future with her great grand child or what have you. What? What whaaaat?
Oh the Tardis has never been to the end of the universe before? Really? REALLY?
I'm tired of Moffat's obsession with danger you can't see, and creepy men in space suits. I've had it.
Edit: I didn't think it'd be possible, but somehow Moffat created even MORE of a Mary Sue than River. Clara might be the most Mary Sue character in the history of mainstream television.
I remember people complaining on various blogs or mesage boards about Rose and Bad Wolf. At least Rose only wrote a sign across time to try and send the doctor a message. Clara has actually been all over the Doctor's history and influenced seemingly every aspect of his history. Moffat is basically putting the largest personal stamp on an established character that I personally have ever witnessed.
If you with to hear my thoughts, as well as those of my co-hosts, check out Wanderers in the 4th Dimension on iTunes or Libsyn. I will say that our individual ratings for the episode varied from one extreme to the other.
She was adorable, but I really liked her mum.
King Ralph, that has John Goodman in it, right?
I vaguely recall seeing a trailer for it ages, but I never saw the movie.
Speaking of actresses who appeared on Doctor Who and elsewhere, while discussing Time Heist on this week's Wanderers in the 4th Dimension podcast, I was surprised by the revelation that Ms Delphox/Madame Karabraxos actress Keeley Hawes was the voice of Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider video games.
Yeah... Moffat's rewiring of all things Doctor reminds me of Alan Moore's Dorothy/Wendy/Alice three-way Lost Girls book... unnecessary, out of character, and adding nothing to the mythology.
At this point, I feel his obsession with Clara and her single-handedly being the fiber that holds together the universe has gotten in the way of using the character of the Doctor to tell a good story.
At least Moffat's consistent.
Would have been nice if it was someone different, but you play with the cards you're dealt. And why hold off on using such a great story when you're trying to impress people with a new Doctor? I think for a lot of viewers, this ended up being the point at which they were completely impressed by Capaldi in the role.
Writers like Moffat and Davies are probably drawn to the Companions these days because they're more adaptable to the style of character arc storytelling that's popular in television no. They change, and they have an ending, more than The Doctor ever will.
Since the revival of the series, there has been a change in the role/importance of the Companions.
I, for one, approve.
It's one of the reasons I finally enjoy the show.