Spoiler! Doctor Who: Spoiler Thread

[Cohen]

The first 5 episodes of series 7 are my favorites of the Smith era. I also like that the companion leaves mid season, like some of the classic companions. And I wish that was done more. But like not reported on so it would be a surprise.

 

[Bop]

Let's Kill Hitler ... Awful episode. The humour doesn't land (except for the "that's Hitler trying to get out the cupboard line) and Moffat wastes the mysterious time lord child, turns her into River all simply so she can give the Dr more regenerations and conveniently use up hers !! The mountain laboured and brought fourth a mouse. Moff had written himself in knots to do this as well. He'd do the same on Sherlock.

In the first place it was really contrived that Amy and Rory had a childhood best friend that we'd never heard about before, that is so important they'd name their baby after her.

 

[Btvs fan]

In the first place it was really contrived that Amy and Rory had a childhood best friend that we'd never heard about before, that is so important they'd name their baby after her.

Oh God yeah Mel is a really bad idea. The whole giving Melody/River Regeneration powers only for her to just give them all up !! For me LKH is the weakest episode of the season. I consider it worse than the Pirate or James Corden episodes because they were only stand alone and this spoilt the whole season . The Finale wasn't much better either to be frank.

For Season 6 the Eyepatch Villain lady should've been used more. Good actress and great concept bit she basically turned into Captain Phasma.

Looking back on it after this rewatch, S6, and the first part in particular started off really strongly, like it really and makes you excited for the resolution. Then it fell of a cliff in the 2nd half. Like what happened ???

 

[Btvs fan]

The first 5 episodes of series 7 are my favorites of the Smith era. I also like that the companion leaves mid season, like some of the classic companions. And I wish that was done more. But like not reported on so it would be a surprise.

OK so Doctor The Witch and the Wardrobe. Fun enough. Wouldn't say its amazing but enjoyable and hell was that a real Lancaster bomber at the end !

Asylum of the Daleks. I liked this episode but it probably would've made better sense to swap the Daleks with the Cybermen as why would Daleks keep the crazy Daleks alive on a planet anyway!
The Dr who gag line was fun for the episode with the Daleks forgetting but I'm glad it was dropped. Part of the Daleks appeal as they're essentially insecure Pepper Pots and the Doctor is there main insecurity.

Dinasours on a Space ship. Didn't really work. Either just have it with Rory and his Dad or have it with the Dr's gang but both together don't work. And the Dr essentially killing that guy (nasty though he was) with the missiles while he's begging just felt wrong. Another Chibnall episode that doesn't work. I'm still scratching my head how he'd end up getting the top job. With Moffat it made sense. He'd written some of the best Dr Who episodes of the whole reboot and of each individual season. He also had a deep knowledge of the character/show and history.
Chibbs had none of that apart from a clear contempt of the show as shown in the Amy computer screen scene.

 

[Btvs fan]

@NotASlayer @Bop @Cohen @TriBel OK so I rewatched 3 more

A Town Called Mercy. Completely forgettable episode. Ben Browder was fun as the Marshall but that aside, the plot was a bit all over the place. The whole attempt to parallel the Dr and the Time war didn't really work and the attemptto fool the Cyborg with a face tattoo was dumb. Plus the make up budget must've been really low. It literally was a face tattoo to say this person is an alien. Meh

The Power of Three, when I see the episode is written by Chibnall I groan. My god his episodes are so boring and forgettable. This was no exception. While the humour felt so forced.

The Angel's take Manhatten. This is weird one because on an emotional level it really works even to this day with Amy choosing Rory and going back to be with him and leaving the note for the Dr to visit Amelia. That was all great and Karen Gillan sols the hell out of it.
The Cherubs were also great especially the 1 that blows out Rorys match.... but... The Statue of Liberty is an Angel!!! Did no one one in the writers room stop an ask how no one in New York failed to see a Giant Statue (that's actually not as big as you think in real life) walk to the Hotel !!!
This episode is all about emotion (which works) and its plot is just nuts and doesn't work. Overall all I'll give it a thumbs up because of the emotion.

That said I do think the Ponds/Williams should've said goodbye to the Dr last season and do feel dragged out by this point. If Karen Gillan hadnt wanted to leave would Moff have kept them ?
We sure didn't need Rorys Dad who felt a pointless addition eitherway.

Overall so far, it's 5 episodes in and the season hasn't really gone anywhere so far. A real difference to the last 2 which by this point had the season arcs set up, even if S6 had not stuck the landing, it still had the set up.

 

[thetopher]

I'm glad they finally had a heroic wheel-chair bound character.

I think it finally counter-balanced the Whovian narrative- perpetuated by Davros- that all wheel-chair users are villainous, genocidal maniacs obsessed with racial purity.

I'm with RTD that this was a serious issue in need of addressing, it's obvious that he has so many more important stories to tell.

 

[Btvs fan]

I'm glad they finally had a heroic wheel-chair bound character.

I think it finally counter-balanced the Whovian narrative- perpetuated by Davros- that all wheel-chair users are villainous, genocidal maniacs obsessed with racial purity.

I'm with RTD that this was a serious issue in need of addressing, it's obvious that he has so many more important stories to tell.

Davros should never have survived Genesis of the Daleks. It was the perfect ending for him. To be killed by his own creations while he's appalled at there actions killing Kaled Scientists

 

[Bop]

The Statue of Liberty is an Angel!!! Did no one one in the writers room stop an ask how no one in New York failed to see a Giant Statue (that's actually not as big as you think in real life) walk to the Hotel !!!

And also The Statue of Liberty isn't made of stone so it shouldn't be able to become a Weeping Angel.

 

[Bop]

I think Series 10 is the best Moffat season.

 

[thetopher]

Davros should never have survived Genesis of the Daleks. It was the perfect ending for him. To be killed by his own creations while he's appalled at there actions killing Kaled Scientists

Probably better that he be redeemed and become an ally of the Doctor, to become a positive role-model for wheelchair users and to show those with prejudice against the disabled that there was nothing to fear.

 

[Cohen]

I think Series 10 is the best Moffat season.

I don’t know. I like 8 alright. But I like Missy. Some people don’t like her. But I also don’t know the Classic Master, so I only really know the New Who versions.

 

[Bop]

I don’t know. I like 8 alright. But I like Missy. Some people don’t like her. But I also don’t know the Classic Master, so I only really know the New Who versions.

I think Missy was entertaining, do you ever feel tempted to check the classic show out?

 

[Btvs fan]

I think Missy was entertaining, do you ever feel tempted to check the classic show out?

Besides the Robert Delgado run
The Deadly Assassin is definetley one of the classic Dr Who Master episodes that shold be watched.

Post automatically merged: Dec 31, 2023

I don’t know. I like 8 alright. But I like Missy. Some people don’t like her. But I also don’t know the Classic Master, so I only really know the New Who versions.

 

[Bop]

Besides the Robert Delgado run

I liked him a lot, and it's interesting to think that The Doctor could likely hypnotise people just as well as The Master if he tried.

 

[thetopher]

@Btvs fan: I only watched the three Tennant ones and gave up. They all seemed very...familiar, reheated ideas from his previous era. And I have no tolerance for a lot of the ideological garbage pumping out of the Beeb nowadays or RTD's slide from gifted showrunner to peddler of his own weird fan-fic Who stuff. The man should actually respect his audience instead of lecturing them.

 

[Btvs fan]

@Btvs fan: I only watched the three Tennant ones and gave up. They all seemed very...familiar, reheated ideas from his previous era. And I have no tolerance for a lot of the ideological garbage pumping out of the Beeb nowadays or RTD's slide from gifted showrunner to peddler of his own weird fan-fic Who stuff. The man should actually respect his audience instead of lecturing them.

I agree. I did try the Church of Ruby Road as I wanted to give the new Dr a chance and to check out his first episode and thought it was awful, basically a poor dumbed down version/mix of Rose and 11th Hour. Honestly I think he only came back because he was paid a load of cash by the Beeb and Disney. He's just rehashing old stuff and not even trying or caring. He's dumbed down Dr Who a lot. Making it more childlike and less scifi, which he's admitted too.

In regards his message, I think he's being dishonest about that too. That whole Bi-Generation nonsense was clearly just made up as a way to keep Tennant as a fall back option in case Gatwa fails.

How he treats Gatwa actually feels exploitative to me by RTD. If you had a woman run around in her underwear like he did him, people would be uneasy.

 

[Btvs fan]

I liked him a lot, and it's interesting to think that The Doctor could likely hypnotise people just as well as The Master if he tried.

Well Iv seen the mid series Christmas Special The Snowmen. That was fun. It wasn't the greatest episode ever or anything but an enjoyable Christmas episode, it does the job.
Richard E Grant was fine as was Ian McKellen as the voice of the Great Intelligence. The Sontaran correcting his inappropriate comments was fun.
The scene of Clara going up the stairway into the clouds to find the Tardis was genuinely excellent.
While the Dr being withdrawn after what happened to Amy makes sense.

Then I saw the Bells of St John. Again fun enjoyable. The reference to Twitter in 2012 when you see what Musk has done in 2024 is bitter sweet in its way. Monk Dr and the phone ringing made me laugh.

My rewatch impressions are that both Clara mystery and the Great Intelligence which are the season plot and villain do feel a bit rushed. On rewatch it would've been better for the season to develop both of them instead the focus on the big multi episode goodbye for the Ponds.

Bit late but they also revamped the Tardis interior. Doing away with the whimsy interior with type wtiter and going for a more spacey vibe. It's OK I don't hate it

 

[Bop]

If you had a woman run around in her underwear like he did him, people would be uneasy.

Well that does happen, but RTD is attracted to men so this time it's a man being sexualised.

Post automatically merged: Jan 1, 2024

Well Iv seen the mid series Christmas Special The Snowmen. That was fun. It wasn't the greatest episode ever or anything but an enjoyable Christmas episode, it does the job.

I think that Victorian version of Clara is more interesting than the modern version.

 

[Btvs fan]

Well that does happen, but RTD is attracted to men so this time it's a man being sexualised.

Post automatically merged: Jan 1, 2024

I think that Victorian version of Clara is more interesting than the modern version.

That's true. It doesn't make it right.

I completely agree about Clara. I'm on Hide now. To be frank The Rings and Submarine episodes although vastly different settings still have the exact same problems in terms of writing. They feel rushed and tonally weird. They go for comedy in scenes that are meant to be played seriously. It just doesn't work. Now does that mean they are bad episodes. No they are just there and feel like they needed another re-write

 

[thetopher]

Watched The Church On Ruby Road and was completely underwhelmed. The new guy- judging by this outing- has zero gravitas or presence to convince as a nigh immortal alien being, at least Jodie was kinda hyper and kookie. He's not weird or serious enough, but he's pretty gay so maybe that why people like him anyway.

The plot managed to be incredibly thin and also confusingly nonsensical and as a result we now have another modern day female companion who is somehow special/has a mystery backstory. Whoopie.
Also the new companion acts like a quirky TV character rather like a real person in situations; like when she discovers that goblins are real she's like 'did that goblin just hiss at me?' rather than 'omg goblins are real and they're stealing the baby!' also there was zero sense of stakes to say that she and The Doctor were facing off against baby-eating gremlin things.

Nonsensical singing takes me out of any story, also it was awful.

Finally, if you're going to have gadgets that don't obey the laws of physics at all just call them magic gloves and be done, instead of explaining how clever they are/what they do and then contradicting the rules you've just stated later in the episode...