Doctor Who

[robwebster]

Well.

I bloody loved that.

ETA: And, while I remember to say it, it is literally the only Doctor Who episode that has ever properly scared me. Unsettled, sure, not frequently but sometimes. But when the chess-playing cyberman came to life, I fucking shat myself.

[ariich]

Porridge was a brilliant character, and Warwick Davis really is such a good actor!

[abydos]

Didn't like the abrupt start. Meh on the episode as a whole.

[robwebster]

Seems likely I'm one of only about four people who liked this better than The Doctor's Wife. TDW was pretty cool, 8/10. Ish. A little higher on a good day, a little lower on a bad day, but never a full point either way. This, while not quiiite The Girl Who Waited good, was my kind of Who. Really, properly great yarn. Not a ten, but a very high nine.

[Heretic]

WELP. After watching the "Next Time" trailer for next week's finale, it's SO obvious who and what Clara is aauugh.

[ariich]

Seems likely I'm one of only about four people who liked this better than The Doctor's Wife. TDW was pretty cool, 8/10. Ish. A little higher on a good day, a little lower on a bad day, but never a full point either way. This, while not quiiite The Girl Who Waited good, was my kind of Who. Really, properly great yarn. Not a ten, but a very high nine.

I think overall I prefer the Doctor's Wife which was absolutely beautiful, but I loved this as well. But I'm a huge Gaiman fan, so tend to love his style of storytelling!

Also, I can't believe I didn't see the small twist coming; that's such a Gaiman thing to do, I feel like I should have guessed it!

[robwebster]

Ahhhh - see, I'm usually on a plane where I'm completely oblivious to upcoming twists, and I coo at every single one in giddy bliss. The teselecta, the TARDIS creatures, sat there gawping, but this is one of the few I've ever actually got! Can't remember precisely what tipped me off, but I thought there were a couple too many knowing glances in the "I will follow my orders" section, and something about the emperor's conspicuous absence left me thinking, "Okay, they're doing something here, and I think I know who they're doing it with."

[Jaq]

The Doctor's Wife is more in Gaiman's wheelhouse than this was, but Nightmare in Silver is a pitch perfect, classic base under siege Second Doctor story updated for the modern era. It is, in short, the ONLY time anyone's gotten the Cybermen right since, oh, 1969 or so?  It's certainly the closest they've been to their original intent since the Second Doctor was around.

Hmm. The Great Intelligence, the Ice Warriors, the Cybermen done properly...yes, we are flashing back to the Second Doctor's time. About bloody time too, I love the Second Doctor.

[robwebster]

Agreed on all counts, Jaq!

Heretic, next week's ep - I might be showing the extent to which twists are my kryptonite, here... but, now I've seen the trailer, my guess is that she was created by forces that are conspiring to protect the Doctor, rather than to create a trap. Still, she's a perfectly ordinary girl. We've seen her childhood, Emma Grayling had a look at her, we've seen she doesn't have a clue why she's impossible, I'm hazarding a guess at the what but I can't for the life of me see how. If you've got more of it than that, A. brilliant, but B. I... don't know if I want to know! You sound so convinced that I'm afraid to ask. q:

Most interesting bit of next week's trailer for me, though? Strax, yelling "Die, reptile!!" and apparently attacking Vastra. Sure there's more to it than meets the eye, but crikey.

[Jaq]

I'm not going to speculate at all, or try to guess. I just want to watch it next week and hopefully be stunned. Because the trailer looked brilliant. 

[Heretic]

Alright, I'm going to put this in super mega ultra small font so if you don't want any potential spoilers don't read it!

There's a section in the trailer where River says "don't do it!" and Clara proceeds to jump into this giant vortex in the center of the TARDIS console. Throughout the trailer, we see Clara dressed up as several of the Doctor's previous companions (Sarah Jane, Ray, etc.) Something is going to happen where the Doctor is in grave danger throughout his entire timeline, and Clara is going to enter the Doctor's timeline at every single point, becoming either a part of (or perhaps entirely) every companion in the instance where he needs saving. This is why he's met her before-- she's met him thousands of times, saving his life from, I'm guessing the Great Intelligence, as being a sort of electronic entity/being I'm willing to bet he sort of "infects" the Doctor's timeline and starts killing him throughout time and space, which is where Clara comes in to save him, thousands of times over. This would also go with the fact that Jenna hinted in an interview that "Clara hasn't just met the Doctor three times."

Moffat is just crazy enough to do this. Whether or not her being every companion ever will rewrite the history of the show or whether she'll just be a "part" of that companion I don't know. In the prequel for the finale, Clara also says that she finds out at Trenzalore who the Doctor is, what he was running from all those years ago, and what his deepest darkest secret is. THat part I'm not sure of.

Either way it'll be brilliant. It has the potential to be the best Doctor Who finale ever.

[GuineaPig]

Alright, I'm going to put this in super mega ultra small font so if you don't want any potential spoilers don't read it!

There's a section in the trailer where River says "don't do it!" and Clara proceeds to jump into this giant vortex in the center of the TARDIS console. Throughout the trailer, we see Clara dressed up as several of the Doctor's previous companions (Sarah Jane, Ray, etc.) Something is going to happen where the Doctor is in grave danger throughout his entire timeline, and Clara is going to enter the Doctor's timeline at every single point, becoming either a part of (or perhaps entirely) every companion in the instance where he needs saving. This is why he's met her before-- she's met him thousands of times, saving his life from, I'm guessing the Great Intelligence, as being a sort of electronic entity/being I'm willing to bet he sort of "infects" the Doctor's timeline and starts killing him throughout time and space, which is where Clara comes in to save him, thousands of times over. This would also go with the fact that Jenna hinted in an interview that "Clara hasn't just met the Doctor three times."

Moffat is just crazy enough to do this. Whether or not her being every companion ever will rewrite the history of the show or whether she'll just be a "part" of that companion I don't know. In the prequel for the finale, Clara also says that she finds out at Trenzalore who the Doctor is, what he was running from all those years ago, and what his deepest darkest secret is. THat part I'm not sure of.

Either way it'll be brilliant. It has the potential to be the best Doctor Who finale ever.

Unfortunately with Moffat, potential tends not to equal results.

[Super Dude]

WELP. After watching the "Next Time" trailer for next week's finale, it's SO obvious who and what Clara is aauugh.

I didn't see anything obvious. The guy in the top hat near the end though, I know I've seen him in something recently... (something that wasn't DW)

[masterthes]

Neither did I. Great episode, and I wasn't bothered by the commercials. Seemed pretty standard, if actually slightly shorter than US shows. I loved seeing Warwick Davis on the show, and I'm more a fan of Doctor's Wife than tonight's episode

[Heretic]

WELP. After watching the "Next Time" trailer for next week's finale, it's SO obvious who and what Clara is aauugh.

I didn't see anything obvious. The guy in the top hat near the end though, I know I've seen him in something recently... (something that wasn't DW)

Oh! Actually it wasn't the Next Time trailer, it was the BBC released trailer (which is a good bit different): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRhG3oEQ9eY

Watch and see if you divine the answer, I thought it became at least somewhat apparent.

[masterthes]

Super Dude, are you referring to the guy that helped out the GI in The Snowmen?

[masterthes]

So, is Clara going to sacrifice herself then?

[Super Dude]

Super Dude, are you referring to the guy that helped out the GI in The Snowmen?

Ah yes, that's him.

[robwebster]

Haha, "that guy" is one of the UK's most esteemed character actors! Richard E. Grant, he's done loads of stuff. Not complaining, just surprised - but then, Withnail & I probably never quite left the UK.

Heretic - I've been really good so far, so I'm not reading your smalltext. I will after the episode's aired, though, and congratulations or comiserations will be in order.

[ariich]

Rob, have you watched the finale preview that Heretic was referring to? It's pretty intriguing...

[robwebster]

I've watched it! Once. I'll watch it twice, now, and edit this post or do a new one if I ever go, "Ohhh!"

ETA - "I'm Clara Oswald and I was..." is the only bit that makes me go, "Alright, what's going on here then?" There's a bit with her in yellow light, there's her in a mossy TARDIS. No, I'm still not seeing it. I told you, I'm a gift to a tricksy writer! I just sit there, gormless, going "Whuhh...?!"

ETA2 - Also! Almost the end of the series. How's it been for everyone?

Right now, I think I'd rank 7B thusly...

1. Hide
2. Nightmare in Silver
3. Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS
4. The Bells of St. John
5. Cold War
6. The Rings of Akhaten
7. The Crimson Horror

And in context, with 7A, and the christmas specials...

1. Hide
2. Asylum of the Daleks
3. The Snowmen
4. Nightmare in Silver
5. A Town Called Mercy
6. Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS
7. The Angels Take Manhattan
8. The Bells of St. John
9. The Power of Three
10. Dinosaurs on a Spaceship
11. Cold War
12. The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe
13. The Rings of Akhaten
14. The Crimson Horror

So, possibly the most inconsistent of SM's series. Certainly, Moffat's own episodes are rather more scattered across my listings than they have been in the past, first time he's not completely dominated, but he still penned two of my top three, which is decent. High hopes for The Name of the Doctor, having loved NiS. Been decent, though. Nice having Doctor Who on, and there are some real corkers in there.

[robwebster]

Oh, and S3R2's up, and the round 1 result might not be what you'd expect.

[Super Dude]

Yeah, I checked out his filmography, and there's literally two things I've seen him in besides DW: Pocahontas which doesn't even count, and The Little Vampire that was so long ago I don't remember anything about it. So yeah, that'd be why.

Anywho @ Rob's rankings: Haven't seen enough of S7A to say, but agreed with your 7B rankings, except I'd put Cold War lower.

Edit: Actually apparently I've seen all of it except Widow. Rankings:

1. The Snowmen
2. Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS
3. Asylum of the Daleks
4. Nightmare in Silver
5. Hide
6. The Bells of St. John
7. The Rings of Akhaten
8. Dinosaurs on a Spaceship
9. The Power of Three
10. A Town Called Mercy
11. Cold War
12. The Angels Take Manhattan
13. The Crimson Horror

You can probably tell I really hated Amy and Rory.

[ariich]

1. Asylum of the Daleks
2. Hide
3. The Bells of St. John
4. Nightmare in Silver
5. A Town Called Mercy
6. The Snowmen
7. The Angels Take Manhattan
8. Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS
9. The Crimson Horror
10. The Power of Three
11. Cold War
12. The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe
13. Dinosaurs on a Spaceship
14. The Rings of Akhaten

Pretty difficult, and I'm sure it'll change a lot over time. The last two are pretty much tied as well.

But really I like everything in series 7, so I don't agree about it being inconsistent, I've really enjoyed it!

[senecadawg2]

Hide
Asylum of te Daleks
Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS
Angels Take Manhattan
Snowmen
Town Called Mercy
Nightmare in Silver
Bells of Saint John
Power of Three
Rings of Akhaten
Cold War
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship
Crimson Horror

[GuineaPig]

Hide
Cold War
The Crimson Horror
Asylum of the Daleks
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship
A Town Called Mercy
Nightmare in Silver
Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS
The Angels Take Manhattan
The Power of Three
The Snowmen
The Bells of Saint John
The Rings of Akhaten

I'm really meh on this season.  Everything from "Asylum of the Daleks" down has serious issues of one sort or another.  There aren't any blatant misfires, but there haven't been any knockouts.  I'm seriously getting burnt out by Moffat's style.

[Jaq]

I can't really rate them for two reasons. The first being that the two halves of the series are practically different beasts; it's like the first five of this season were more like a season 6B (bonus points to anyone who gets THAT reference) and the actual seventh series began with The Snowmen. Only the presence of Clara in Asylum keeps the two halves remotely welded together.

The second being I've kind of gotten over making lists of things I like, trying to determine which is the first best and which is the thirteenth, when the differences between them are so minor it's barely worth pointing out. (What separates your seventh and eighth best thing on a list?) I know what I like and what I don't!

[masterthes]

Snowmen
TARDIS
Asylum
Nightmare
Hide
Angels
Mercy
Three
Dinosaurs
Bells
Rings
Crimson Horror
Cold War
Wardrobe

[ACID_FOX]

I think this has been by far the weakest series yet. Lots and lots of excellent ideas and creature designs but the episodes themselves are so rushed that they have no room to breath. What I liked about the RTD episodes (especially the finales) was that the plot would be resolved about 10 minutes before the end, with those last 10 minutes being used for character closure and such. With the SM episodes it's like getting slapped in the face by 45 minutes of exposition that doesn't make sense and faux emotional endings (Wedding of River Song and Angels take Manhattan respectevely). I have high hopes for next weeks, but it really is balancing on a fulcrum that could go either way. Most if not all Moffat episodes have the potential to excellent, but I rarely feel they are.

[Sigz]

I've loved this season, moreso than 6.

[Heretic]

Hide
Asylum of the Daleks
Nightmare in Silver
The Snowmen
Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS
The Angels Take Manhattan
The Bells of St. John 
Cold War
The Crimson Horror
The Rings of Akhaten
A Town Called Mercy
The Power of Three
Dinosaurs on a Spaceship
The Doctor, The Widow, and the Wardrobe

This has definitely been one of my favorite seasons/series. Right up there with 4 and 5. I'm betting The Name of the Doctor will top my list though, at least based on what we know is being addressed.

EDIT: Also pixeled a new avatar in preparation for it.

[ariich]

Great job Heretic!

Regarding the pacing, that's the only thing that has slightly held back the series for me. I really do like the occasional two-parter, because you can have better-developed, more complex stories. Slience in the Library being a perfect example, and most of the series finales.

Overall I've loved the series though.

[GuineaPig]

I wish there could be some sort of joint showrunning between RTD and Moffat.  It's so utterly bizarre how the two managed to have completely opposite strengths and weaknesses.

Either that, or I'd be down for having a new chief writer every series.  Because Moffat is getting just as dull and repetitive as RTD was at the end of his tenure. 

[ariich]

I don't agree at all, I love Moffat's style and his ideas, and am still very much doing so. I enjoyed RTD's stuff tremendously, but Moffat suits my tastes better.

[Jaq]

Oh hell.

Apparently some lucky fans in the US accidentally got their copies of the second half of series seven on DVD already.

HIDE FROM SPOILERS!