I thought the first half of S7 was much stronger. Asylum, and Dinosaurs on a Spaceship were both great fun, and The Power of Three was probably one of my favourite episodes for The Doctor. The main problem there was that Rory and Amy were starting to feel they'd overstayed their welcome, and by Angels, I was just waiting for an Angel to off them both. River Song was also very out of place and redundant, and felt like she was only there because her parents were going down.
Definitely! I really like A Town Called Mercy, too, which not a lot of people seem to. It does have a curious feel to it, though. I bloody love Amy and Rory, but they'd sort of said their goodbyes as long ago as The God Complex - their story ended, and they didn't officially "rejoin" until the end of The Power of Three, so their continued travels end up feeling a bit tacked on. "Oh, yeah, also, this happened." Like bonus tracks! Welcome, but the rhythm's slightly off. Some great eps, though.
There is a funny thing with those S7B episodes, where lots of people tend to agree that it's a mixed bag, but nobody can quite agree which those great episodes are. As you say, Blob, you don't much dig Hide, but for me it's the strongest story. There are a lot of people who really love The Crimson Horror, and regrettably I'm not one of them. It's weird. Something for everyone, probably - but only very rarely
everything for everyone.
I love Series 7. Much better than 6, but not better than 5 unless you're counting the Doctor trilogy. With that added, S7 beats most of New Who for me.
I think I have it a tier down. Series 5 wins outright, and series 7 might beat series 6 only if you count the specials. Those specials are glorious. The Day of the Doctor, in particular, makes everything better.
Thinking about it, John Hurt is statistically the best Doctor. Every other Doctor's got a couple of squiffy episodes, but John Hurt is consistently brilliant. A+ performance, really great characterisation, in an incredibly strong episode. Finally, the question "Who's the best Doctor?" has a correct answer.
robwebster! It's been a while sir. Did you post your thoughts on the 50th and the Christmas special?
Never did - wasn't here! I'm sure they'll emerge on their own, probably already have to an extent, but I'm off in a minute so don't have the time for extended reviews just yet. In short - DotD, brilliant, possibly the best Doctor Who episode. TotD - also brilliant, but could have done with a few more minutes to breathe. The performance of Matt Smith's life, he absolutely gave the performance of his life, but the Doctor doubled his age overnight; the time he spent on Trenzalore was equal to the combined length of everything from the moment William Hartnell stole the TARDIS to the moment David Tennant didn't want to go, and I think they needed to do more with Clara to sell the way that feels.
Lots of very juicy stuff, though. The Doctor fighting
alongside the Silence, all his clever schemes, his incredible old-acting - and, my favourite, him up on the clock tower swinging his ancient limbs about like he's a newborn lamb. So much to love, just comes with a few caveats. Things that didn't go anywhere. He lies in a truth field, and then they set up that holographic clothing overlay and didn't do anything with it. I thought they were doing something like this...
INT. TARDIS.
CLARA treads in, wary.
Along the floor – a trail of discarded clothes. Jacket, trousers, bow tie, leading up to the console, where a bowl of fish fingers and custard lies half-eaten.
A figure emerges from the corridor – the ELEVENTH DOCTOR. Young again.
ELEVENTH DOCTOR
Hello again.
CLARA
You're still you.
ELEVENTH DOCTOR
I'm always me.
CLARA
But you're you you. Young you. Is that it? Cos it's a new cycle? You get to keep your face?
ELEVENTH DOCTOR
Oh, Clara.
He starts undoing his bow tie. Those big sad eyes.
ELEVENTH DOCTOR
We're all different people, all through our lives, when you think about it. That's okay. That's good. You've got to keep moving. So long as you remember all the people you used to be.
The Eleventh Doctor removes his bow tie and drapes it around Clara's neck. Intense, eye to eye –
ELEVENTH DOCTOR
I will always remember when the Doctor was... you know.
(TWELFTH DOCTOR VOICE)
Old girl.
CLARA
Old girl?
The Doctor places an arm on Clara's shoulder –
ELEVENTH DOCTOR
Disengage projectors.
The Eleventh Doctor flickers, like a graphic, the bow tie flickers too, and both disappear!
Behind the hologram – new face, new clothes. Clara flinches back – those big, mad eyes!!
TWELFTH DOCTOR
What? What's the issue?
CLARA
Nothing. No issue.
TWELFTH DOCTOR
Is it my kidneys?
CLARA
Kidneys?
TWELFTH DOCTOR
So I've got funny kidneys. Some people have weird kidneys. Get over it!
The room thumps, and the Doctor rushes to the console –
CLARA
It's not your kidneys.
TWELFTH DOCTOR
Good, that's fine, dandy, cos we've got more important stuff to worry about right now.
CLARA
Like what?
TWELFTH DOCTOR
Huge question. Big question. Would you happen to know how to fly this thing?
Not so! I'm glad, Moffat's is better, it's more emotionally satisfying when the Eleventh Doctor's last words actually come from the Eleventh Doctor, and the Capaldi Slam was a great choice, but the nudity thing sort of feels like... a build up with no punchline? It's funny, but it's distracting in a way that's strange for something that never becomes important, so I wonder if it was orphaned from a previous draft. There are a few bits like that, that don't quite coalesce. But it is a very good ep, and a strong regeneration.