Unified Doctor Who thread

[gyedid]

After watching the episode, I had to wonder, Has the Doctor ever heard a Dalek cry for mercy?  I mean, IIRC, Rose showed one mercy, one begged River Song for mercy, albeit in vain. 

I had thought about that too.  The Doctor wasn't there.  I guess we must infer the Dalek in the latter case was somehow one of the strain seen in these episodes.  However, it goes to show--and this is a topic for a whole separate post--that the treatment of the Daleks under Moffat's tenure has just been spectacularly inconsistent, especially in terms of how deeply ingrained their hatred of everything that's not Dalek is/isn't.

Oh, and I wonder what plans Scary Poppins is going to come up with.

Davros did mention the prophecy of a Dalek/Time Lord hybrid.  Perhaps Missy is going to make it happen?

And how much of the Doctor's regeneration energy was siphoned off?  Seemed like he was stuck on those cables for a while...might have lost most of his new set of lives there.


cheers,

Gabe

[ClarkeMarek]

I had thought about that too.  The Doctor wasn't there.  I guess we must infer the Dalek in the latter case was somehow one of the strain seen in these episodes.  However, it goes to show--and this is a topic for a whole separate post--that the treatment of the Daleks under Moffat's tenure has just been spectacularly inconsistent, especially in terms of how deeply ingrained their hatred of everything that's not Dalek is/isn't.


Davros did mention the prophecy of a Dalek/Time Lord hybrid.  Perhaps Missy is going to make it happen?

And how much of the Doctor's regeneration energy was siphoned off?  Seemed like he was stuck on those cables for a while...might have lost most of his new set of lives there.


cheers,

Gabe

Probably only one.

[elf25s]

monty python invaded doctor who in 1979
i spotted john cleese in city of death with tom baker....surprise! ;D

[DEZOAT]

 >:( Well my cable company drop BBC America so I can't watch Doctor Who this  season . I have buy the end season set.

[mdauben]

>:( Well my cable company drop BBC America so I can't watch Doctor Who this  season .

I have the same problem.  Unlike you I'm on the fence over buying the season.  While I like Capaldi's Doctor, I'm not a hard-core fan of the series and I'm not really very fond of Clara.  If it was still "free" to watch I probably would.  Just not sure I want to see it bad enough to pay to watch it.

[Ruger]

And how much of the Doctor's regeneration energy was siphoned off?  Seemed like he was stuck on those cables for a while...might have lost most of his new set of lives there.


cheers,

Gabe

My bet is that the answer is...



However much the story demands...


Ruger

[ClarkeMarek]

My bet is that the answer is...



However much the story demands...


Ruger

Best.  Answer.  Ever. :O0

[Mecha82]

I found Missy to be pure fun in those episodes and every time she was on screen she stole the show. Too bad that it means that she stole show from title character but least she made it less about Clara.

[Khymerion]

I found Missy to be pure fun in those episodes and every time she was on screen she stole the show. Too bad that it means that she stole show from title character but least she made it less about Clara.

And that is exactly what the show needs.

[YingJanshi]

So any thoughts about "Beneath the Lake"/"Before the Flood"?

Thought they felt very much like a classic story. And the big baddy was quite a monster design. ;D

[I am Belch II]

Did anybody notice Corey Taylor's scream cameo from the last episode.

[Khymerion]

The Monster design was really interesting.   I found the premise interesting and at least the opening was nice to help explain what was to play out later in the story.  Not bad honestly.   Not as good as the opening for the season but definitely not as bad as some episodes.

[ClarkeMarek]

So any thoughts about "Beneath the Lake"/"Before the Flood"?

Thought they felt very much like a classic story. And the big baddy was quite a monster design. ;D

I actually kind of suspected at first that the Doctor was hiding in the suspended animation chamber.  I just dismissed it because it seemed too obvious.  That said, I enjoyed it.  Oh, anybody notice the reference to Harold Saxon/Missy/The Master's tenure as the Minister of Defense?  Or was that Prime Minister, it's been awhile since I saw the episode.

[Khymerion]

I actually kind of suspected at first that the Doctor was hiding in the suspended animation chamber.  I just dismissed it because it seemed too obvious.  That said, I enjoyed it.  Oh, anybody notice the reference to Harold Saxon/Missy/The Master's tenure as the Minister of Defense?  Or was that Prime Minister, it's been awhile since I saw the episode.

Yes, they did properly reference the Saxon/Master reign as Prime Minister in the episode.  Saxon/The Master was in the Ministry of Defense (Where we got the Valiant before it was... sunk?  Shot down?  Axed due to being too interesting) but that was not referenced in the episode.   What is interesting is the idea that there is a Ministry of War coming that the Doctor doesn't know about yet.

[gyedid]

So any thoughts about "Beneath the Lake"/"Before the Flood"?

Thought they felt very much like a classic story. And the big baddy was quite a monster design. ;D

I actually thought this was the best story of Capaldi's tenure so far, and his best turn as the Doctor yet, better than "Time Heist" and "Listen".  Although, I feel that with the increasingly numerous references to popular Earth culture, now including taking up electric guitar, he's starting to take on shades of #10.  (Yes, I know Capaldi used to play in a punk band.)

Was perhaps a bit too much time spent on running through corridors in a base under siege?  Granted, these are both staples of classic Who, but if they're still turning to the same tricks and tropes after so many years...

And there should have been more of that Fisher King.  That must've been a rather expensive "prop-stume" and it was under-utilized.
Looking at it made me think of things like the Wirrn from "The Ark In Space" and the Tractators from "Frontios".


I still don't understand why O'Donnell's ghost wasn't initially present with Prentis' in part 1.  She didn't die long after he did and given that it happened, her ghost should've been there--the Doctor even remarked on it.  The only explanation I can think of is that being transplanted from another point in time had something to do with it--you can't become a ghost unless you've actually died--whereas Prentis was not a time traveller and his death in 1980 was a certainty.


cheers,

Gabe

[YingJanshi]

I don't know if I'd call this the best story of his tenure...but it was pretty good.
And it really did feel like a Classic story to me. But I think that's by design: so far this season there seems to be a lot of nods to the Classic series. Mostly pretty subtle, but still there.

I don't know, I think the way the did it was pretty good. I think if they had shown any more it wouldn't have been quite as effective. Though that was an amazing costume. Definitely one of the best of recent years.

Did anyone else notice that the mural of the sea monster on the wall of the base's dining room had the Fisher King's face?

[Darth Nichos]

Well this was a good episode and I was caught by surprise the reveal of who the girl played; seemed we got trolled by the trailer after all

Btw, I wonder if the two-parters are the new theme is the series as homage to the original serials?

[ClarkeMarek]

Kinda figured that much.

[gyedid]

Well this was a good episode and I was caught by surprise the reveal of who the girl played; seemed we got trolled by the trailer after all

Btw, I wonder if the two-parters are the new theme is the series as homage to the original serials?

I felt it was quite similar to "Robot of Sherwood" in tone, but the humor seemed more effortless this time.  Still, there's a significant portion of Who fandom that feels the show MUST be serious drama and can't tolerate episodes like this.  They wanted it to be Game of Thrones with aliens.

IIRC, the last time this format--stories spread over two 45-minute episodes--was used was during Colin Baker's first season, right?

cheers,

Gabe

[gyedid]

Did anybody notice the way the Doctor recoiled a bit when he first laid eyes on Ashildr--like he'd seen her somewhere before?

I get the brief revisiting of "The Fires of Pompeii", and how it explains why #12 has that face, but there is a difference here--before, the Doctor saved the life of a man and his family who were supposed to die, and they got to live out normal lives.  This time he's changed somebody's life in an extraordinary way--and I got the distinct impression from the way the expression changed on Ashildr's face as the camera panned around her that she thought immortality and eternal youth were cool at first, but ultimately became burdensome.  Will we find out why she didn't use the other immortality chip the Doctor left for her?  (He could at least have explained how to use it...)  And is it right for the Doctor to take it upon himself to give such a "gift"--one that he himself doesn't actually have?

And...where are Vikings supposed to get hold of electric eels, a taxon that is unique to South America?  This is a science fail on par with "Kill The Moon" IMO .


And how long is long enough after an episode that discussion doesn't need to be spoilered?

cheers,

Gabe

[YingJanshi]

I distinctly got the "Timelord Victorious" vibe when the Doctor decided to save her. And I don't think it'll work out any better this time.

Also I think he explained the look he gave her, with the little speech about premonitions.

[gyedid]

No thoughts on "The Woman Who Lived" ?

Did anyone else think that Maisie Williams was actually pretty awesome here as Ashildr/"Me"?  Arya Stark was no fluke...

The Grand Moff has stated at least once this past year that he'd like to see the Doctor become a woman.  While this is an idea that I think would meet tremendous resistance from the great majority of Who fandom, if it's going to happen, then I think Maisie just became the #1 candidate for the role.  IMO.

She's slated to return in episode 10.

And if she can be pried away from "Game of Thrones".

cheers,

Gabe

[gyedid]

Oh my...

I've often heard it said that good sci-fi should be an allegory for events in our own times, but in "The Zygon Invasion", the allegory is just SO blatantly obvious and ham-fisted with regard to current events (especially in the UK and the rest of Europe) that...well...is it even possible to discuss this episode here, without violating half of the forum rules?

Well, we could discuss what's known about the mechanics of the Zygons' shape-shifting abilities, and how they're able to get thoughts and memories from their models--they did create a duplicate of Clara that was so convincing that not even the Doctor could tell it wasn't actually her.

And why "Bonnie"?



cheers,

Gabe

[ClarkeMarek]

Oh my...

I've often heard it said that good sci-fi should be an allegory for events in our own times, but in "The Zygon Invasion", the allegory is just SO blatantly obvious and ham-fisted with regard to current events (especially in the UK and the rest of Europe) that...well...is it even possible to discuss this episode here, without violating half of the forum rules?

Yeah, I'd say be very careful with what you throw up  We could probably talk about a lot of it(including the next part that I'm going to quote), but anything that gets into rule 4 territory will probably bring in the mods, so yeah.  That said:

Well, we could discuss what's known about the mechanics of the Zygons' shape-shifting abilities, and how they're able to get thoughts and memories from their models--they did create a duplicate of Clara that was so convincing that not even the Doctor could tell it wasn't actually her.

And why "Bonnie"?

[/spoiler]

Why not "Bonnie?"  I'll worry about that one later.

As for the duplicate, why do I get the impression the Doctor knew she was a duplicate was a duplicate?  He probably had to play dumb 1) to see what the double was up to, and 2) in case the double might be an ally.  You know, in case Clara was in trouble. 

Just my thoughts.

Oh, and I'm sure it's been brought up before, but....Is it me, or does the Osgood Weapon look like The Moment/Pandorica/TARDIS in siege mode?

[DEZOAT]

 They have season 9 part 1 out right now. WHY!!! I rather have the whole season not half.

[gyedid]

Why not "Bonnie?"  I'll worry about that one later.

As for the duplicate, why do I get the impression the Doctor knew she was a duplicate was a duplicate?  He probably had to play dumb 1) to see what the double was up to, and 2) in case the double might be an ally.  You know, in case Clara was in trouble. 

Just my thoughts.

Is it supposed to be some play on Bonnie and Clyde?  Or some oblique reference to Bonnie Langford, who played Mel--the last time that one of the Doctor's companions was impersonated (by the Rani in this case)?

Oh, and I'm sure it's been brought up before, but....Is it me, or does the Osgood Weapon look like The Moment/Pandorica/TARDIS in siege mode?

Was thinking the same thing myself...


Also, in "The Day of The Doctor", when #10 & #11 mindwipe the humans and Zygons in the room, there are two Osgoods (the real one and the Zygon double), but also two Kate Stewarts.  Neither Osgood could remember which was the real one, so they became a kind of human-Zygon hybrid.  So what happened to the Zygon double of Kate, who would have been in the same situation? 

cheers,

Gabe

[ClarkeMarek]

So, after watching last night's episode, I have one question:

Given the "Oh, Missy, you're so fine!" jokes, if the Doctor's name is Basil, does that mean that his next companion's going to be named Toni, or Kitty? 

...

Wait, Kate's a form of the name Kitty, right?

 :D ;D :)

(Sorry, had to get the joke out of my system. :P :) )

[Lorcan Nagle]

This is a British show: his next companions will be Sybill, Polly and Manuel

[gyedid]

This is a British show: his next companions will be Sybill, Polly and Manuel

They've already had a Polly, but that was a long time ago...

cheers,

Gabe

[Wrangler]

Apparently the Fourth Doctor and his beloved companion, Sarah Jane are going to get a limited series of Comic books made about one of their adventures. Posted on io9.