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Per usual, most of my thoughts are in the review but a quick likes and dislikes
LIKED
–The Doctor being the one to do the heavy lifting this episode. Clara was really in the background while the Doctor figured out all the things and went to save the day. As it should be.
–The Doctor’s handy dandy cards for dealing with humans in tough situations. That was hilarious.
–The Doctor/Clara talk in the TARDIS about how the Doctor has a responsibility to care. Danny Pink was looming large in this episode yet no one dared to talk about how this situation (souls being hijacked) was eerily similar to his (soul being hijacked)
–Good CGI effects for the Ghosts.
–Interesting cliffhanger
DISLIKE
–It’s a very by-the-book episode of Doctor Who. That’s not a bad thing, I guess, but it’s too comfortable for this episode to ever be memorable.
–Too many crew members with none of them being extremely memorable outside of one trait or characteristic.
–Of course there was a flood at the base. That’s just straight up cliche.
–Still not digging the Sonic Glasses
[adrotate group="5"]"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"He did quite well in S5 and S6. S7 the wheels began to shake a bit. There was close to *nothing* remarkable in S8 (in spite of getting a new Doctor) and while I enjoyed 901, it was not without problems or Moffat’s trademark “faster than the speed of light” style.
It’s interesting that you say this because S7, S8 and 901 all have one common denominator and that is Clara. The wheels began falling off the show when she was brought on and certainly made to be the centre of everything. Clara is a bad companion. Companions are supposed to be likeable so that when they inevitably leave, the audience feels sadness much like the doctor. I won’t be sad when Clara goes, I’ll be celebrating. Companions aren’t supposed to overshadow the doctor, they’re supposed to be his assistants that sometimes stumble upon the solution that the doctor cannot find. It is a dynamic that has stood the test of time. The companions aren’t equal to the doctor. It sounds harsh but it’s true. The companions come and go but the doctor remains, he is the star and always will be.
I think the main problem with Clara is that the writers tried to shake up this doctor/companion all for the sake of being “politically correct” and it just hasn’t worked. I hated season 8 because it was so Clara centric, the doctor wasn’t the star, Clara was and that shouldn’t have happened at all. I was legitimately thinking of giving up Doctor Who basically because of the train wreck that is Clara and it is only because of the Christmas special (which was ruined when they didn’t kill her off then even though they had the perfect setup) and the news that Clara will genuinely be leaving THIS TIME that I decided to give season 9 a chance.
Clara is not an equal to the doctor, unlike the master/missy who is basically the doctor gone bad, Clara is a companion, and though I don’t want to say that she should “remember her place” because that sounds overly harsh as well, Clara needs to remember that she is a companion and not the doctor.
Per usual, most of my thoughts are in the review but a quick likes and dislikes
LIKED
–The Doctor being the one to do the heavy lifting this episode. Clara was really in the background while the Doctor figured out all the things and went to save the day. As it should be.
–The Doctor’s handy dandy cards for dealing with humans in tough situations. That was hilarious.
–The Doctor/Clara talk in the TARDIS about how the Doctor has a responsibility to care. Danny Pink was looming large in this episode yet no one dared to talk about how this situation (souls being hijacked) was eerily similar to his (soul being hijacked)
–Good CGI effects for the Ghosts.
–Interesting cliffhanger
I agree with you pretty much on all of these. The cards were the highlight of the episode for me and, as you said, the doctor did the heavy lifting this episode whilst Clara was in the more traditional companion role.
The Doctor/Clara talk was interesting in that it hinted at Clara’s soon to be imminent demise. The Doctor is concerned by Clara’s attitude and I do think it is that attitude that is going to get her killed eventually, her need to always be involved in an adventure. Adventures are dangerous and sooner or later her luck is going to run out (probably around the Christmas special). What’s most interesting about this scene is the Doctor. The Doctor has trouble reacting appropriately towards the feelings of others hence why he needs the cards, yet here he is feeling concern when Clara’s all “Come on let’s go, adventure awaits!” which suggests that he senses something is wrong and it’s only going to get worse and potentially life-threatening but he can’t quite put his finger on it.
DISLIKE
–It’s a very by-the-book episode of Doctor Who. That’s not a bad thing, I guess, but it’s too comfortable for this episode to ever be memorable.
–Too many crew members with none of them being extremely memorable outside of one trait or characteristic.
–Of course there was a flood at the base. That’s just straight up cliche.
–Still not digging the Sonic Glasses
I agree about the sonic glasses. The crew members aren’t memorable but at the same time, they’re likeable plus not everyone the doctor meets is going to be special. They’re just normal people.
Something I noticed about the translator is that he was the only one that didn’t go in the ship and see the inscription, and I’m wondering if that is why the ghost didn’t kill him because it’s not seared into his brain or whatever.
I quite enjoyed this episode. Yes there’s no wow moments but at the same time, I wasn’t rolling my eyes because yet again Clara took centre stage. The doctor was the star and that’s how it’s supposed to be. I do agree that the story could’ve been wrapped up in one episode. Two parters should be kept for the “big” episodes with the big villains lie the Daleks, cybermen, the master and the weeping angels (which have become the most iconic out of the new Who villains.
All magic comes with a price!
Keeper of FelixSo, who else thinks the ghosts aren’t really dead people’s spirits, but are, in fact, projections, while the actual people are still alive?
I actually enjoy Clara she and Amy pond are favorite among my family. So I would be sad to see her go. (But realize it is time, ready to learn a new companion and how they fit into the doctor’s life) I never got the impression that it was the Clara show for me the doctor always been the star of the show and always will be. I see Clara no different from the other companions that travel with the doctor. So maybe its just a perception thing.
One thing for certain Clara is not fine. I can sense it in her eyes she sad, lonely, and she miss Danny. Right now she is using traveling with the doctor like we buried ourselves in work, hobby, internet to avoid dealing with the pain in grief in other words she is masking her grief with I am fine lets go on adventure.
As for the crew I like the crew but who stands out most is the deaf character and her translator. As person who took American Sign Language in college I appreciate this little nugget of diversity.
This episode reminds me of water of Mars.
Overall I found this episode entertaining none the less. It peaked my curiosity and boy does my curiosity enjoys being peaked. I love a good mystery.
"I will be kind but I will speak my mind."
More thoughts later but right now, 904 “Before the Flood” is getting an 8 (subject to change?) right now. I quite liked the emotional beats, but the story felt…lacking. More later when I’ve had time to really think it through.
Here’s the 905 promo (hi, Maisie!)
"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"After thinking it through some more, I’m giving this episode an 8.5 (and I go into more detail on a few things in my review). It’s a very clever episode, even if Whithouse told you how it would all end in the very beginning with the (innovative) breaking of the fourth wall dialogue.
LIKED
–The emotional and character moments between the Doctor and Clara, particularly the phone call. The private part between just the two of them had a lot of punch.
–In the same vein, lots of great one liners (though not funny ones) like “Even a ghastly future is better than no future at all. You bent the rules to life and death, so I’m putting it straight.” I love when the Doctor recognizes his own mythicness.
–I thought the introduction (music wise) was really cool.
–The breaking of the fourth wall was innovative and superbly well acted, but I also think it needs to be a one time thing because it did feel like Whithouse was trying to explain his own script to us.
–The fangirl moment when McConnell began to dance around singing “it’s bigger on the inside.”
DISLIKED
–The Fisher King bore no resemblance to his legendary namesake! The show missed the chance to really drive home the Doctor’s mythic nature by casting him as Percival or Galahad who comes and heals the Wounded King. But the show’s Fisher King was really vague; like what his motivation for anything?
–Could have done without the love stories, especially the one between McConnell (was that her name?) and the Other Guy. The Deaf Girl and the Translator were obviously in love from the start so I didn’t mind that one too much.
–Still strongly dislike the Sonic Glasses
"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"I agree with pretty much what you’ve said RG. I don’t mind the love story between McConnell and the other guy because essentially it was the love story that was never to be, he never told her he loved her and now he never can. And that was the push the translator needed to confess his love for the deaf girl. It was clear they both had feelings for each other, but both were to afraid to tell each other.
I definitely prefer the episodes where, as you put it RG, the doctor does the heavy lifting. I think you can start seeing how Clara’s leaving is going to come about. What’s interesting is Clara’s line about how the doctor can die with the person after her but not with her. It seems to suggest that Clara is aware of the fact that she won’t be with the doctor forever, that there will inevitably be a replacement. It’s just interesting in the fact that we know Clara will be leaving but the character doesn’t.
All magic comes with a price!
Keeper of Felix@RumplesGirl I want to kiss you and your review! It was well written!
For me I agree with the 8.5. The points I had to take away from this episode was the villain was not that powerful or memorable. The fear of the villain moreso the fear of the unknown was far more threatening and poignant then the actual villain.
Its reveal was like this to me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Et1qBCnv3c
I simply do not care about this stock villain. In fact, I swore I seen something like this creature on another syfy film.
As for the characters the final four struck with me. I love the two couples. And I was sad for the one to not make and then you see the guy look at her alive because they went further in the past. And it struck with Aww.
Of course I could tell the deaf girl and her translator was obviously in love. And I was happy they would get a chance to be together.
Now on to the Doctor and Clara. I thought their relationship and dialogue was bittersweet, somber, it had endearment, yet sorrow, it was somewhat nostalgic and reflective. However ,maybe its because we know the actress is leaving that it seems a bit foreboding. Clara and the Doctor interactions gave me the whole soldiers getting ready for battle or that final performance of a rock band. It seemed like a lot of the “last times.” Soon it would be the last time for this and last time for that. And its almost like deep down the characters are painfully aware its coming.
I see with Clara that there are two parts with her hooray time for adventure, avoiding the pain of grief yet at the same time doing all she can because she knows its going to end soon.
And there is Danny. Danny was all through this episode. His name not spoken but he lingered like the ocean that surrounded them and trapped them in that under water base at the bottom of the ocean.
If I wanted to go all psychological with this beast. I can say that Doctor and Clara were basically running away from the ghost of the past and the ghost of the inevitable. Some day it has to end. Not to mention what better place then under water. I always thought deep oceans and open space give you similar effect. Rather you are beneath the surface of the ocean or above in space you are humbled by the breath of life.
Overall I so far have been enjoying myself this season.
"I will be kind but I will speak my mind."
Overall I so far have been enjoying myself this season.
So have I. It’s a stronger showing thus far than the first four of season 8, which had some highs (Robots of Sherwood and, to an extent, Into the Dalek) and some lows (Deep Breath) for me.
"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"
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