Doctor Who

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

The concept of the villain was grim. Amputating heads and storing them. The alien species that stores things inside its own head was lovely grim. The Riversong archeologist knowing about the crashed ship (recurring themes?).

I liked this.

Rest, I didn't really gel with. It sort of explains why River is really flirty, because she has unrequited love, or thinks she has. So she seeks fulfillment from others despite her heart being with The Doctor.

The episode was great once they started talking with each other. And it was very touching. I would be happy if we don't see any more of her. I feel like this is a perfect ending.

Episode on average 5/10, but I liked the good stuff. Just the rest of it was "meh".

[Darkflame]

I really liked it. It was overly whimsical in places and too many ""comedy"" actors - but its a Christmas episode rolling on from a very serious season, so I understand why.
Everything else was pretty great though, some solid concepts, some good core emotion, and it was nice to have River again even if it was just to have someone else with equal agency to the doctor. (not that the companions are necessarily all bad or anything - its just that character "slot" tends to be following, not leading, almost by definition).

Only query I have is regarding the ending....pretty sure "ghost river" from way back with the end of Smiths era was from -after- the Library no?

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

It was.

[empath]

♫Ding Dong! The Witch is dead.
Which old Witch?
The Wicked Witch!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead.♫

...well, in a year's time, at least.

But FINALLY, I can turn my attention to a show I've had to give up on as not entertaining enough to make it worth the aggravation...

[Antitonic]

Isn't the new guy the one that ran Torchwood? Specifically the Cyberwoman episode?

Can we keep Moffat?

[empath]

Ah, but this isn't a writing position; it's SHOWRUNNER. Moffat wrote some fantastic episodes *cough-cough-Blink-cough*, but he's proven himself to be a HORRIBLE manager. While the two tasks have some overlap, they are very different, and that's been the problem. We can only hope that Chibnall takes his experience as ExPro & creator of Broadchurch with him. (maybe a worse writer will be a better boss?)

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

Ok. I didn't think Moffat was awful. He was better at running than RTD.
But RTD resurrected it.

[Darkflame]

RTD was more *important*. Moffat was *better*. Especially at story arcs.

Anyway...obviously I'll give him a chance - but the writer of "Power of 3" is the one taking over. urg.
(and yes, in theory a showrunner doesn't have to write - but normally the point is they do both. The guide the overall story)
---

Oh, and BBC? Saying you have some sporting events so "thats enough entertainment in 2016" is basically one of the worst excuses I have ever heard.

[Gap Filler]

More skeptical than when Moff took the helm based on Chibnall's previous credits. And due to never buying the anti Moffatt brigade on any front.

[empath]

Oh, so you LIKED seeing characters die...and then come back...and then die again, etc. etc. ad nauseam?

[Gap Filler]

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[Gap Filler]

Another consideration in order methinks. If reading correctly your basic argument is repeated character death leads to unwatchability which I don't see.

But, hey, ELI5. Why does characters dying all the time mean RUINED FOREVER; is it repetition, dramatic tension loss, effect on char dev or some other aspect kyriarchically tying into Moffat's other flaws like sexism and taste for overcomplex plotting?

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

I don't think Moffat was sexist. He was just lazy with writing female characters. Fell into the trap of "in-control of their sexuality and strong = believable female character", when in fact that is just one of many possible iterations of a character with a female gender.

[Darkflame]

River seems pretty different to Osgood who seems pretty different to "Me" who seems pretty different to Madame Vastra.
Honestly not seeing much of pattern between them personality wise.
I do see similarity's between Clara and Amy, but they certainly arnt all focused on (physical) strength and sexuality.

I also see no one in his run as badly written as Rose was ^_^ Yeah, Im a Rose hater, so sue me

--

As for deaths; Who we talking about here?
Rory? I guess that was a clear cut resurrection - along with the rest of the universe. Still that counts.
I'm not sure theres many other cases though.

The master/mistress? She comes back all the time. Its dumb. But its well established canonical dumbness since long before NewWho.
Who else?

[Arclight_Dynamo]

I mean, I'd have been happy to have seen the back of Moffat two series ago. But this last series was such a turnaround (though it still had faults) that I'm not sure that's true anymore. I think I'm happy he gets one last series, but I also think change and a bit of a shakeup will do the show some good.

[Lord Chrusher]

There were few a cases this past season with characters not staying dead or appearing to be dead when they were not.

I can not say that plot lines about cheating death or straight up resurrections should be a surprise in a show about a time-travelling space wizard.

[tbug]

Did everyone see the new companion announcement?

[Robo4900]

I think she seems promising, interesting that she seems to be more of a comedic type than the last few companions.

Also, it just occurred to me: I wonder if we'll get more of these types of shorts over the year, since we're not getting any episodes until Christmas

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

She reminds me of Donna with her bluntness that's comedic.

I wish that they used her off-mark comment of the Daleks being too big to fit through the doorway they're hiding behind. It would have made her an observant companion who is straight talking.

I felt like the preview could have shown her off better.

[tbug]

Do you think the preview is from an actual episode, or just a stand-alone thing they shot?

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

I am indifferent really. Won't be the first time they have canonical micro adventures.

I'd be interesting if they did a "out of order" story arc where it's the viewers who see events out of sequence, rather than a character in comparison to another.

As in next series we land straight in with The Doctor with his next companion already, and over the course of the series through good writing we learn more about what has been. Though, perhaps with Moffat leaving, it's best he focuses on tying up the Moffat era rather than adding another complex arc.

[Darkflame]

Is there anything outstanding plotwise right now to tie up?
Maybe the knocking at the end of the universe? (assuming that wasn't in the Doctors head).
I think all the big threads SM introduced have been tied now already though.

Could go back to RTDs era though cover who that woman was and why Wilfred seemed to have some telepathic link to her.
Not that you need to go back and tie stuff up to tell good stories, of course. But when its done well I do like it.

[Robo4900]

I felt like the preview could have shown her off better.

In fairness, it was 2 minutes long. I'm sure we'll get a much better idea of what she's like when she has an actual episode.

Could go back to RTDs era though cover who that woman was and why Wilfred seemed to have some telepathic link to her.

Details:

Click to Expand

The telepathic link was actually time lord technology. On-screen, it's never revealed, but according to Russel T. Davies, she was intended to be the Doctor's mother. Both David Tennant, and Claire Bloom(The actress who played the woman) were told this, but according to RTD, he intentionally left it open to interpretation in the final script, the idea being that she could be Susan, Susan's mother(The Doctor's daughter/daughter-in-law), Romana, the Doctor's mother, or any other trustworthy Time Lord.
Also, the piece "The Doctor's Theme" plays in the scene where she reveals her face to the Tenth Doctor. This piece was originally referred to as "Flavia's Theme". Flavia was a Time Lady, and a Chancellor in The Five Doctors and some books

Basically though, Julie Gardiner thinks of her as the Doctor's mother, and Russel T. originally wrote the episode with that in mind, but the way it ended up was left intensionally ambiguous, so... Pick a headcanon I guess.

[DennyR]

Yeah, I always went with the Doctor's mother idea, it's the one that appealed to me the most.

[Darkflame]

I had heard part of that. Who it was doesn't so much bother me or anything, although it still feels like Wilfred should have some connection somehow - regardless of whether it was telepathy or tech. Why him?
Plus, it would be nice to get that character back for a bit.

Anywho....any other outstanding little plot threads anyone can think of?
I cant think of anything I personally need resolved.