Doctor Who v. Patrick Troughton

[ariich]

Tom Baker was definitely awesome, and Davison was good although not one of my favourites. I can see why people were less keen on Colin Baker - he was really offputting at first (which was very much the writing) though once they made him less confrontational I quite liked him. In the Big Finish audio dramas that I've listened to, he's really good.

McCoy was decent though probably one of my lesser favourites. Some of his stories were great though, I liked the darker tone.

McGann was excellent as the Doctor, but the movie was pretty bad. Again in the audio dramas he is so so good.

[BlobVanDam]

I probably should have listened to the dude at the beginning when he said not to watch it.

Pretty average episode that will just blur together in my mind with the dozen other Doctor Who episodes just like it. Humans on some kind of space ship/station in the future, generic alien that doesn't really make sense, basic horror episode, except without seeing the actual horror and killing in this instance. I'm glad they didn't use up two episodes for this.
I mean, it wasn't bad, but it was extremely unremarkable.

[BlackInk]

Yeah, not the best. Still fun enough though.

Something I don't get; is the danger over now? Won't there be a part two? It seemed like the danger was just getting started there at the end.

[BlobVanDam]

As far as I can tell, next week's episode is completely unrelated. No "to be continued...", different writer, I think it's just meant to leave it open as part of the horror story thing, to make the little kiddies scared of sleep or popular 1950s music or something.

The trailer for next week's episode on Youtube is better, and actually shows Ashildr/Me. It's a new writer too, so that will be interesting. Hopefully it's good. Mark Gatiss should stop writing for Doctor Who, seriously.

[Scorpion]

It had to come eventually - an episode that I didn't like. It tried to put all that "None of this makes any sense." into a plot point, but it didn't really answer any question as to what really happened, and just felt kind of lazy, like "Wow look, let's use lazy plot devices all around but by being all self-aware, that makes them better!" Um, no. If you're aware of your story not making any fucking sense, write a different story.

Rasmussen was brilliantly acted, though, and the Doctor was great as always. Still, all in all, this was clearly the weakest of the season.

[BlackInk]

As far as I can tell, next week's episode is completely unrelated. No "to be continued...", different writer, I think it's just meant to leave it open as part of the horror story thing, to make the little kiddies scared of sleep or popular 1950s music or something.

That's pretty huge then. I mean, like, end of humanity huge. That's what was at stake right? And the Doctor failed. And is everything alright with Clara now? She was in the Morpheus chamber as well. I'd be surprised if this was indeed the last of all of this we heard.

I wouldn't say it's the weekest of the season, since I still think the goofyness of The Girl Who Died made it a worse episode.

[ariich]

That's pretty huge then. I mean, like, end of humanity huge. That's what was at stake right? And the Doctor failed. And is everything alright with Clara now? She was in the Morpheus chamber as well. I'd be surprised if this was indeed the last of all of this we heard.

I believe a sequel is planned, but for a future season so presumably not Clara-related.

[Aefenwelg]

So I just got hugely spoiled by Facebook, but apparently

Capaldi confirmed tomorrow's episode is Clara's last

[Kotowboy]

So I just got hugely spoiled by Facebook, but apparently

Capaldi confirmed tomorrow's episode is Clara's last

 

[ariich]

Man, that was a really good episode. Looks like it's going to be an interesting run to the end of the season!

[Kotowboy]

SPOILER











I'm sure Moffatt can bring back Clara in the future if they both want to.

[BlobVanDam]

Man, that was a really good episode. Looks like it's going to be an interesting run to the end of the season!

Yeah, this was a big transitional episode. It's a fitting end to this season's arc of Clara being reckless like The Doctor and being overconfident. Hopefully I don't have to see too much shit from the Clara haters celebrating her being gone. 

Next week's episode looks good. Capaldi can definitely carry an episode on his own.

[BlackInk]

It started off sort of silly, but the entire second half of the episode made up for it.

[ariich]

Man, that was a really good episode. Looks like it's going to be an interesting run to the end of the season!

Yeah, this was a big transitional episode. It's a fitting end to this season's arc of Clara being reckless like The Doctor and being overconfident. Hopefully I don't have to see too much shit from the Clara haters celebrating her being gone. 

Definitely, and as is so often the case, the way things were going were part of the story arc. I never understand why people get really whiny about things like that (Clara becoming too cocky) before having the chance to see how it plays out.

Next week's episode looks good. Capaldi can definitely carry an episode on his own.

Hell yeah, I love unusual things like that so am very intrigued.

[BlobVanDam]

Man, that was a really good episode. Looks like it's going to be an interesting run to the end of the season!

Yeah, this was a big transitional episode. It's a fitting end to this season's arc of Clara being reckless like The Doctor and being overconfident. Hopefully I don't have to see too much shit from the Clara haters celebrating her being gone. 

Definitely, and as is so often the case, the way things were going were part of the story arc. I never understand why people get really whiny about things like that (Clara becoming too cocky) before having the chance to see how it plays out.

It was obvious from the start how it would play out, but it doesn't change that it was obnoxious to watch at times. I would rather them have not gone that route with her at all.


The style of the next episode looks to be what I was hoping for when I found out he'd be carrying it solo. I can't wait to see how he gets out of the predicament without the TARDIS, and deals with the death of Clara without anyone to keep him grounded. The name of the episode "Hell Bent" may give some indication of his state of mind coming out of that!
And it will be nice to see just Capaldi, because there have been times where I felt Clara has taken over and left The Doctor under-utilized.
Despite the circumstances, I'm hoping there's still some humour in next week's episode too, because Capaldi has been hilarious this season.

[Scorpion]

I fucking loved that episode. What a fitting end to Clara's character arc, and the acting was sublime. A bit technobabble-y with the Quantum Shade, but it was really only a minor grievance. Everything worked together really well and even though a lot happened, it never felt rushed in any way.

And man, that final scene... so good.

Can't wait for next week! Ten minutes longer than usual, apparently, so that's going to be awesome (I hope). If the final two-parter is anywhere near as good as the rest of the season (minus maybe Sleep No More, but it seems we've got to have the obligatory Gatiss misstep every season ), then Season 9 will stand high above any other season of the show for me.

1. The Zygon Invasion / The Zygon Inversion
2. Face the Raven
3. Under the Lake / Before the Flood
4. The Magician's Apprentice / The Witch's Familiar
5. The Girl Who Died / The Woman Who Lived




6. Sleep No More

[BlobVanDam]

#GatissNoMore

[Scorpion]

I'd have no problem with that. It's been a long time since I really enjoyed a Gatiss episode.

The Crimson Horror, okay. But going back beyond that... maybe The Unquiet Dead? He's better on Sherlock by a mile, his only real dud there is The Empty Hearse, and even that has tons of great moments, it just doesn't work as a whole for me.

[ariich]

Thing is, while Gatiss episodes are never my favourites, I never dislike them either, and he always brings a certain horror influence that pretty much none of the other writers bring. One of the big selling points about Doctor Who for me is the variety, and that's also one of the reasons for its popularity (for all the stuff that most people here in the thread love, there will be other parts of the fanbase that hate it). So I want Gatiss to keep doing his thing.

[Heretic]

Just realized I never posted my thoughts on Face the Raven.

It was pretty phenomenal overall, a very interesting build up and the final scenes were definitely dark and depressing, but I am excited to see where this goes. It's all pointing towards Gallifrey and the Time Lords-- the Time Lords have trapped the Doctor in a nightmare-ish universe before, so this isn't unprecedented. I think Capaldi has really made a case for best actor to play the Doctor this season, and the next two episodes will probably give that more credence.

[ariich]

That was absolutely superb. This series has just been amazing.

[Kotowboy]

Yes and it had good pacing for a single episode.

I kept checking the time and hoping they resolved it.

[Kotowboy]

Just read on twitter that

POSSIBLE SPOILER

" The Hybrid is ME "  could refer to Ashildr.

[Coolcat]

When do we get a new doctor? (just wondering)

[Heretic]

Uhm, hopefully not soon, because Capaldi is amazing.

Easily the best episode of this season, maybe even the series alone. I am floored.

[BlobVanDam]

Fucking fuck. That was amazing. I knew instantly the person pulling the lever was the Doctor, and figured out it was his confession dial once he figured out he could stop the monster by telling the truth. The whole setup was cool, and the concept with the TARDIS scenes was not only a great expositional device, but also added a lot more depth to the moments where he appears to just magically know the answer to everything. I loved it.

I have a few questions. First of all, if he'd been there 7000 years and there were that many skulls, shouldn't there have been no room left after 2 billion years? Like, I was expecting him to dive and just land on a pile of skulls.
I also wonder, did he give the same confessions every loop, or was it somehow slightly different each time and he gave billions of years worth of confessions?

Also, spending billions of years chipping away at that wall was epic.

Next week's episode looks just as amazing. Bring on the Time Lords! I think Ashildr could be the hybrid. After all, humanity could be considered a warrior race.

[BlobVanDam]

Holy crap, this trailer for Hell Bent has me even more excited.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yak3ujqxDw


Spoilers from the trailer-

The barn from The Day of the Doctor / Listen makes another appearance, it looks like The Doctor escapes in a stock TARDIS, with the classic interior, and a Dalek appearance, and a weeping angel.

[wasteland]

This was probably the best episode of Doctor Who (and consequently of any TV series) that I have ever seen. If there is anything fair in the way this sorry world spins, awards should rain on the heads of Peter Capaldi, Steven Moffat and Rachel Talaley.

[BlobVanDam]

This was probably the best episode of Doctor Who (and consequently of any TV series) that I have ever seen. If there is anything fair in the way this sorry world spins, awards should rain on the heads of Peter Capaldi, Steven Moffat and Rachel Talaley.

Anybody who sees this episode and thinks modern Who isn't as good as it used to be can eat my poo (and most likely is just a Moffat hater who didn't understand the episode properly).
It seems as if the general response to this episode is excellent though, as it should be.

If next week's episode lives up to the trailer, I think this will be the best season of modern Doctor Who yet. The only true stinker was Sleep No More.

[ariich]

I have a few questions. First of all, if he'd been there 7000 years and there were that many skulls, shouldn't there have been no room left after 2 billion years? Like, I was expecting him to dive and just land on a pile of skulls.

No, bone breaks down over time as well (just much slower than flesh), so after millions of years the oldest skulls would have desolved to nothing. Though after 2 billion years the water will have been largely bone matter.

Just read on twitter that

POSSIBLE SPOILER

" The Hybrid is ME "  could refer to Ashildr.

Yeah I did think that might be the case; initial reaction was obviously that it was the Doctor, but that would require Moffat to resurrect the whole Paul McGann half-human thing.

[Kotowboy]

Why your hands ?

Why not kick it or use a shovel ?

 

[BlackInk]

Got to agree that this was one of the best episodes of Doctor Who ever. The moment I realized why he was punshing the wall was amazing.

Why your hands ?

Why not kick it or use a shovel ?

 

Because punshing your way through 20 feet of a wall harder than diamonds with your bare hands is just more badass

[Kotowboy]

Because punching your way through 20 feet of a wall harder than diamonds with your bare hands is just more badass

And more stupid 

[BlobVanDam]

I have a few questions. First of all, if he'd been there 7000 years and there were that many skulls, shouldn't there have been no room left after 2 billion years? Like, I was expecting him to dive and just land on a pile of skulls.

No, bone breaks down over time as well (just much slower than flesh), so after millions of years the oldest skulls would have desolved to nothing. Though after 2 billion years the water will have been largely bone matter.

The more you know!

Why your hands ?

Why not kick it or use a shovel ?

 

I was wondering why he didn't try to use his ring to scratch at it. Probably more effective than punching it. But by the time he manages to get into room 12, he's basically trapped by the Veil, so he probably doesn't have the opportunity to use the shovel or any more advanced tools than what is on his person.

Plus as BlackInk said, badass factor.

[Kotowboy]

So now the Doctor is just an exact copy of himself.