From the feedback I've got, performance wise Jenna is the stand out and that's good news to me. She's brilliant as Clara but much her performance in the last series relied on her and her chemistry with Matt rather than the writing. She's far less short changed here it seems.
From the feedback I've got, performance wise Jenna is the stand out and that's good news to me. She's brilliant as Clara but much her performance in the last series relied on her and her chemistry with Matt rather than the writing. She's far less short changed here it seems.
First 20 minutes were too manic, the Doctor was not introduced well. But the character of the Doctor grew throughout the episode and became really compelling by the end. You can't take your eyes off Peter Capaldi by the end. In just ONE episode he makes a better claim to be a classic Doctor than Matt Smith managed in his entire run.
The biggest difference: there are extended dramatic scenes!! I can't understand why no one is mentioning this - not even the Telegraph review. There are scenes sometimes with only two people which last up to five minutes. It is such as departure from the Matt Smith years, and it works wonderfully well.
Music is still annoying, but you can't have everything. It is a triumph!
She is a rather brilliant little actress from everything I've seen her in.
Whatever I've said about some things that I'm not so sure about this series, I have massive respect for Capaldi as an actor. He is undeniably excellent. I think part of my lack of excitement is simply I've never seen him in a role where I really took to him. He's never been bad (brilliant in things like Children of Earth) but he's never truly hooked me. He's just sort always been there being good if that makes sense I couldn't even tell you why, must be just one of those elusive personal things where he's never clicked for me. Nothing to do with his age either because if it was John Hannah they'd cast I'd be jumping around like an excited school girl!
But, hey, I'm glad he's getting good reviews and I hope this is the role that changes my mind!
The biggest difference: there are extended dramatic scenes!! I can't understand why no one is mentioning this - not even the Telegraph review. There are scenes sometimes with only two people which last up to five minutes. It is such as departure from the Matt Smith years, and it works wonderfully well.
Music is still annoying, but you can't have everything. It is a triumph!
Capaldi was first to mention the longer scenes!
Yes, you get to spend more time with the characters in single scenes which are very well directed. Some of them very tense. Don't get the man cold. Capaldi has a very intense scene towards the end... with two superb lines which I expect many will like.
This is a direct copy of my spoiler free review from tumblr:
Right so I’ve seen Deep Breath and I have no intention of spoiling it with details.
I will say this, it’s great, a really properly good episode that doesn’t feel like 75 minutes in length at all.
It’s very very funny and the Paternosters are superb, they work superbly well with Clara.
Speaking of Clara, Jenna Coleman once again is the star of the show, dominating every scene she’s in and the Moff pushes Clara further than before and the character and actress flourish.
As for the new Doctor himself, Peter is wonderful but there are points where his accent is difficult to understand.
As for the plot, to avoid spoilers all I’ll say is it’s great and theres one or two gruesome moments but its nothing to get excited about.
The new Doctor is in.
9/10
Not as much as Series 1 or 5. There are many more references from past series. But... it's viable.
I've finally managed to get my brother on board to watch this series. He would've enjoyed Elevens era but refused to watch because...I don't know. The age old prejudice about silly rubber suits and kids show I suppose. But the trailer and Capaldi seems to have sold it.
Interesting that I have read many people commenting that the scenes are alot longer and dramatically have alot more room to breathe so to speak as opposed to the manic pace of much of Elevens episodes. And yet one or two who have read the scripts claim no such change has occurred. Funny that.
I saw it today in Cardiff, Capaldi was awesome! The sound wasn't great so some if the dialogue was lost, especially the early Capaldi lines. The episode was full of humour and raises good themes. Clara's interaction with a new doctor was handled very well, you can really feel for her and how she copes with an "old doctor"
Capaldi's eyebrows steal the show.
I had pretty good seats on the centre at the back of the up high.
The episode had a good mix of humour and seriousness, and Jenna was definitely the highlight of it.
As mentioned above, the 75 minutes just flew by, and one scene in particular completely sold the new dynamic for me.
I'm intrigued by the secret weapon Moffat referred to in the Q & A about the upcoming episodes, it was one of the only concrete things he referred do, having dodged just about every other question on the series.
Peter was charming had clearly humbled to be playing his dream role,
In the topic of scenes going on for longer, I'm not sure if it was because they had the luxury of having the extra time to do it, or the actual way the show is going, but it worked. It also meant the solution didn't get rushed into the last few minutes
Speaking of Clara, Jenna Coleman once again is the star of the show, dominating every scene she’s in and the Moff pushes Clara further than before and the character and actress flourish.
All this praise heaped upon Jenna is music to my ears. She's been wonderful as Clara already without having a load to work with. She'll fly if they give her the material.
As for the new Doctor himself, Peter is wonderful but there are points where his accent is difficult to understand.
A few people I know mentioned the same thing. I hope it's the acoustics of the auditorium/their sound system because the BBC has been picked up a couple of times recently for having unintelligible dialogue.
Wasn't sold on Clara from The Bells...to The Name of the Doctor, despite having loved her in Asylum and The Snowmen. But she was amazing in the anniversary special and the Time of the Doctor to the extent she has fast become my favorite companion. Good to hear such amazing reports on her in this. She is turning out to be an incredible talent. I loved Matt but I think she was at least his equal if not better in the Xmas special. Sounds like this continues. I'll be honest. Never saw it coming.
She is just a great actress who gives real depth and character to Clara without having to resort to having an obvious trait that previous New Who companions have fallen in to. She is the epitome of the ultimate companion. A normal girl (albeit a stunningly beautiful one) is remarkable all the same.
A few people I know mentioned the same thing. I hope it's the acoustics of the auditorium/their sound system because the BBC has been picked up a couple of times recently for having unintelligible dialogue.
I have not once struggled to understand Peter, but today I did drop some words. It wasn't a big issue at all and I don't believe the problem will occur sat in front of my TV. I think it was just the auditorium. I hope to work on a longer review now..
I've read some of the reviews and it sounds like a lot of time in the episode is given to building the characters and their relationships with each other, which I'm pleased about because that was never really done in the Matt Smith era (possibly an early indicator of the 'Brian Minchin effect').
I think I need to know a bit more about what makes Clara tick because, to date, I just don't get her as a character. And I am looking forward to Peter's Doctor too.
Am I right in thinking this first episode is longer than usual?
In just ONE episode he makes a better claim to be a classic Doctor than Matt Smith managed in his entire run.
Absolutely loathe numpties who can't express their enthusiasm for one particular Doctor without trashing previous incarnations. Smith was a fantastic Doctor....as I'm very hopeful Capaldi will be.
Absolutely loathe numpties who can't express their enthusiasm for one particular Doctor without trashing previous incarnations. Smith was a fantastic Doctor....as I'm very hopeful Capaldi will be.
Thanks. I'm a numpty now, am I? And you "loathe" me, because I didn't like Matt Smith and you did. Oh well. I'm not very keen on you, now. But I certainly don't loathe you.
What happens if someone kills one of your loved ones? Would you "loathe" them too? Would you loathe them more than me? I would hope so. Do you have gradations of loathing?
I'm afraid in this life you will encounter other people whose opinions are different to yours. You ain't gonna like it. You'll be in hatred overload.
I thought it was best that I give it the rest of the day before posting a more substantial review.
First, a mention of the event itself. After spending three minutes in the presence Peter Capaldi - mostly at a strange angle as I duck to make way for overhead pieces of card - after spending two hours with Americans, Canadians, Germans and Australians on the rails, before watching Deep Breath and the Q&A session, I left the theatre on a massive high. Moffat and Jenna were both hurried by but said hello and Sam Anderson made a low-key approach from the rear. The crowds thinned out by the time he reached us - poor chap. At least it guaranteed an autograph! But I had no idea he would be there. I even caught him taking his place in the audience before being highlighted by Moffat later on. That was a cool bonus.
Capaldi is still as much of a gent as we have seen throughout his journey since being announced. Despite arriving late and being rushed through by bodymen, he criss-crossed down the lane spending more time with everyone than the others. He wasn't going anywhere until everyone got a reasonably good look at the new Doctor. The crowds went crazy for him - outside and inside the hall. His first appearance on stage and on screen got the same reaction. Key characters moments got cheers and the laughter kept on coming. As Zoe Ball once said - it's safe to say we liked him. His leading a chorus of Happy Birthday to an audience member was the icing on the cake... that was until a very young fan was brought down from the upper tiers to get an autograph on stage. Lovely, lovely stuff.
***
There are three big things in play throughout the episode. The Doctor's search for himself. Clara's adapatation to 12 - which he doesn't make easy. Then the main plot which I won't go in to in much detail. The idea behind it is sound and a certain mechanic makes for some rather tense scenes. Though I kept willing for it to go a little more sinister - even afer a scene which makes for some grotesque mental imagery. Then I remembered this was Doctor Who and not Game of Thrones and all was well.
But to me, this took a necessary back seat to the man of the hour. As you might expect, The Doctor we see at the start of the episode is the same man we briefly meet at the end of Time of The Doctor. A lot of room for humor here. A lot of observational quips and back-and-forth as Clara tries to keep a bewildered new man under control. But it's not in the same vein as walking in to walls, slapping himself and eating fish custard. As have been mentioned, the longer scenes give us more time to see 12 go through the motions. He finds some interesting ways to occupy his time as he finishes 'cooking.' Any concerns that he has forgotton Trenzalore are soon dispatched.
Deep Breath spends a lot of time with Clara and surprisingly, given Capaldi's build up, I'm very thankful for this. Jenna is better than she has ever been - in only the first episode filmed with Capaldi. Her grief for 11 and her indecision over 12 are only part of the story. Clara described herself as a bossy control freak in Time and Moffat starts to really deliver on this in some surpringly touching sequences as she finds herself with a brand new, unpredictable man. There are themes of appearance, age and prejudice which come to a head in a superb scene with Vastra which contains a brilliant succession of lines which I really want to share but..... I can't and won't. They're cleary speaking directly to the audience at some stages. The reassurance is oddly comforting, even if I wasn't concerned to begin with.
Speaking of Vastra (sorry, I'll be back with 12 soon), the paternoster gang are in full swing and get a fair amount of screen time between them. I fully expect some of their moments to translate much better with a large audience than at home - though I hope that some of Strax's gags (love them or loathe them up to now) get a chuckle. He takes home one of the funniest moments of the episodes in an otherwise very tense standoff. Vastra and Jenny lend much more time to their relationship than in previous episodes and all three share private conversations with Clara as she tries to find her place. I don't think Deep Breath will win over many new fans of Paternoster, and there are one or too moments which may seem a little forced, but on the whole they are the transitionary team. A home base of sorts - for Clara more than The Doctor.
Now, Peter Capaldi's 12th Doctor. Inhabiting the wit of Malcolm Tucker (as Peter himself admitted) and traits which have permeated many incarnations before him. There has been a lot of speculation about a "dark" Doctor and an "unlikeable" Doctor. But Moffat put it best when he said that he's no longer flirting with you. 11's willingness to please is highlighted here as 12's more brutally honest persona grows as the episode goes on. An alien madness whirls behind his eyes. From an audience POV, 12 was highly entertaining. Funny, not out of slapstick but out of naivety and and quick wit. The recently released snippit from episode 2 gives you a good idea of this:
The Doctor: This is Clara, she's my... not assistant, what's another word...
Clara: Carer.
The Doctor: Carer, yes! She's my carer. She cares so I don't have to.
Sometimes he's not even trying to be funny, his alien mindset is in full effect and his logic is flawless - he doesn't even try to see things from a human point of view so alot of his humor can seem a bit random but hits the sweet spot so those scenes come across as genius instead of just daft.
You know that he DOES care, very much - about our safety, but he won't be quick to show it. But it's not all for laughs. It's not long before that inner madness and confusion bubbles to the surface. When it arrives in force in a later scene... wow, goosebumps. It's exactly what I wanted to see from Capaldi right out of the gate. You will know the snarl when you see it. Before all of that though, his hyped up unpredictability gets an early look-in, culminating in a sequence which really turns the tables. His delivery turns words on a page to magic on the screen. Oh, I sound like a film critic.
Deep Breath is littered with beautiful moments. It's sharp, funny, touching and tells the story of two very different people trying to find how they fit together again. I really think more could have been done with the villains of the piece - but Ben Wheatley serves up a fine offering. The reintroduction of the TARDIS is a great little moment including one of many throwbacks to the past. Some more curious than others... Moffat still has things left to do.
I want to watch it again, very much so... but I also want to see how 12/Clara develop in future episodes. I have never been more excited for a duo in the 2005 series. They really do play so well off eachother for two very different looking people. Moffat gets a lot of stick for putting plot before characters - but if he is able to stick with the balance he found here, encouraging other writers to do the same - I think he is going to make a lot of people very happy with Series 8. It has a focus which needs to stick around.
The score also takes a bit of a rejig. Some people say the score doesn't affect an episode. I think it does - massively. 'I Am The Doctor' is no more and many more quieter and ticking pieces litter the episode, though you can still expect a bombastic flourish when you usually find it. But it *felt* different. Whether it was Moffat, Capaldi, Gold or Wheately - it felt like we were some way away from Series 7. I look forward to seeing and hearing it all again - at an appropriate angle - on TV. It looked like a great piece of cinematography. Some great direction at play throughout the set pieces and the quiet moments.
Perhaps it wasn't a perfect 10. But in the grand trandition of Doctor Who fans rating everything - Deep Breath would get a comfortable 9 on first viewing. An almost understated debut which puts 12 and Clara... Peter and Jenna.. in the spotlight. For me at least, Doctor Who appears to be in very safe hands after a shaky seventh series. The Capaldi casting is finally solidified as a golden decision.
Perhaps I have said a lot of nothing here, but that's pretty much expected when you can't talk about specifics Perhaps my initial view will change when the live audience disappears, when Moffat & Faith Penhale disappears and the promise of an audience with Capaldi disappears. We will see. But I really do doubt it. An entertaining 75 minutes with lots to love. Elisabeth Sladen's husband shares one the best scenes with Capaldi. You won't miss it. It will include the word 'cold.'
Having signed the National Moffaty Secrets Act, I can't talk about anything else. Not even bit. Or that bit. Or that bit. That's new.
Phil Ford... you're up!
***
Thank you Peter, Jenna, Sam, Steven & everyone from BBC Worldwide and St David's Hall. I didn't believe I would ever get the chance to be a part of this - at such an exciting time, too. Peter Capaldi is officially my first real-world glimpse of The Doctor... and he delivers.
And, seemingly at every chance he found, Peter couldn’t praise his co-star Jenna enough. “I feel like I’m a terrible gushing chap,” he explained. “Jenna has been absolutely incredible. My favourite thing about joining Doctor Who has been working with Jenna. She does everything with such grace and class.”
For a more fair and balanced view we had best wait for the DS Amateur TV Critic brigade who will post on here during the episode...
'worst thing ever'
'Moffat is a national embarrassment'
'bring back Matt Smith/Tennant/K-9'
'sack Capaldi'
'its Colin Baker all over again'
three minutes in- 'is anyone else really bored by this'
five minutes in- 'is anyone else confused by this'
forty five minutes in- 'confused by.....' (insert easily understandable plot point that has been explained on screen if only they had actually watched instead of posting on a forum/complaining on Twitter)
'too childish'
'too dark'
'never watching this drivel again...see you next week!'
I've read some of the reviews and it sounds like a lot of time in the episode is given to building the characters and their relationships with each other, which I'm pleased about because that was never really done in the Matt Smith era (possibly an early indicator of the 'Brian Minchin effect').
I think I need to know a bit more about what makes Clara tick because, to date, I just don't get her as a character. And I am looking forward to Peter's Doctor too.
Am I right in thinking this first episode is longer than usual?
A LOT of the screen time is spent on the central dynamic which feels all the better for it. It's 75 minutes, so quite a bit longer, but I have no idea where the extra half hour came in because it didn't feel even close to 75 minutes and I remember being surprised when we neared the end that we were nearing the end.
If you're unsure about Clara as a character, Deep Breath will hopefully help you out there, we really really dig into the character and Jenna is impeccable.
I have not once struggled to understand Peter, but today I did drop some words. It wasn't a big issue at all and I don't believe the problem will occur sat in front of my TV. I think it was just the auditorium. I hope to work on a longer review now..
I'm sure that this is probably it for me too. I definitely want to sit in front of my TV and drink in Deep Breath again so that I can really immerse myself in Capaldi.
Capaldi really is as superb as we all hoped: by turns edgy, strange, abrasive, deranged, clever, detached, superior, pragmatic and, yes, dark -- but always in an entertaining or amusing way. There is a scene near the end which I can't wait to be allowed to talk about in detail, which really illustrates the new approach to the Doctor's characterisation. He defeats the main threat of the episode in a way that is surprisingly and refreshingly direct and simple. There's some sonic screwdriver trickery earlier on, but it's unobtrusive and the main resolution is satisfying, believable and says a lot about the new direction of the show and the Doctor.
The overall tone is not markedly different to before. There's still a similar balance of humour, peril, drama etc, and a similar style of humour as before. However, there has been a subtle shift in the dramatic tone. The most significant change for me is that the drama now seems more cerebral, and to be delving deeper into the characters' psychology and motivations. This was very pleasing and I hope it continues.
There is a real sense of threat in several different scenes, from the villains and also from the Doctor himself. The characters (one in particular, though I won't say who) are forced into some very tense and uncomfortable situations (similar to Blink, in a way, but I can't explain further without spoilers) and Ben Wheatley's creative directing really sells the feeling that they might not escape.
I would rate this above all other new Doctor debut episodes since Spearhead from Space.
Comments
Jenna stands up to Capaldi very well.
First 20 minutes were too manic, the Doctor was not introduced well. But the character of the Doctor grew throughout the episode and became really compelling by the end. You can't take your eyes off Peter Capaldi by the end. In just ONE episode he makes a better claim to be a classic Doctor than Matt Smith managed in his entire run.
The biggest difference: there are extended dramatic scenes!! I can't understand why no one is mentioning this - not even the Telegraph review. There are scenes sometimes with only two people which last up to five minutes. It is such as departure from the Matt Smith years, and it works wonderfully well.
Music is still annoying, but you can't have everything. It is a triumph!
She is a rather brilliant little actress from everything I've seen her in.
Whatever I've said about some things that I'm not so sure about this series, I have massive respect for Capaldi as an actor. He is undeniably excellent. I think part of my lack of excitement is simply I've never seen him in a role where I really took to him. He's never been bad (brilliant in things like Children of Earth) but he's never truly hooked me. He's just sort always been there being good if that makes sense
But, hey, I'm glad he's getting good reviews and I hope this is the role that changes my mind!
Capaldi was first to mention the longer scenes!
Yes, you get to spend more time with the characters in single scenes which are very well directed. Some of them very tense. Don't get the man cold. Capaldi has a very intense scene towards the end... with two superb lines which I expect many will like.
The trailer for the second episode looked even better.
Not as much as Series 1 or 5. There are many more references from past series. But... it's viable.
Right so I’ve seen Deep Breath and I have no intention of spoiling it with details.
I will say this, it’s great, a really properly good episode that doesn’t feel like 75 minutes in length at all.
It’s very very funny and the Paternosters are superb, they work superbly well with Clara.
Speaking of Clara, Jenna Coleman once again is the star of the show, dominating every scene she’s in and the Moff pushes Clara further than before and the character and actress flourish.
As for the new Doctor himself, Peter is wonderful but there are points where his accent is difficult to understand.
As for the plot, to avoid spoilers all I’ll say is it’s great and theres one or two gruesome moments but its nothing to get excited about.
The new Doctor is in.
9/10
I've finally managed to get my brother on board to watch this series. He would've enjoyed Elevens era but refused to watch because...I don't know. The age old prejudice about silly rubber suits and kids show I suppose. But the trailer and Capaldi seems to have sold it.
Interesting that I have read many people commenting that the scenes are alot longer and dramatically have alot more room to breathe so to speak as opposed to the manic pace of much of Elevens episodes. And yet one or two who have read the scripts claim no such change has occurred. Funny that.
Capaldi's eyebrows steal the show.
The episode had a good mix of humour and seriousness, and Jenna was definitely the highlight of it.
As mentioned above, the 75 minutes just flew by, and one scene in particular completely sold the new dynamic for me.
I'm intrigued by the secret weapon Moffat referred to in the Q & A about the upcoming episodes, it was one of the only concrete things he referred do, having dodged just about every other question on the series.
Peter was charming had clearly humbled to be playing his dream role,
In the topic of scenes going on for longer, I'm not sure if it was because they had the luxury of having the extra time to do it, or the actual way the show is going, but it worked. It also meant the solution didn't get rushed into the last few minutes
**
Q&A fun:
Question: If you could travel back to any time period.....
Capaldi: Ancient Rome
*theatre erupts*
All this praise heaped upon Jenna is music to my ears. She's been wonderful as Clara already without having a load to work with. She'll fly if they give her the material.
A few people I know mentioned the same thing. I hope it's the acoustics of the auditorium/their sound system because the BBC has been picked up a couple of times recently for having unintelligible dialogue.
She is just a great actress who gives real depth and character to Clara without having to resort to having an obvious trait that previous New Who companions have fallen in to. She is the epitome of the ultimate companion. A normal girl (albeit a stunningly beautiful one) is remarkable all the same.
I have not once struggled to understand Peter, but today I did drop some words. It wasn't a big issue at all and I don't believe the problem will occur sat in front of my TV. I think it was just the auditorium. I hope to work on a longer review now..
I think I need to know a bit more about what makes Clara tick because, to date, I just don't get her as a character. And I am looking forward to Peter's Doctor too.
Am I right in thinking this first episode is longer than usual?
Thanks. I'm a numpty now, am I? And you "loathe" me, because I didn't like Matt Smith and you did. Oh well. I'm not very keen on you, now. But I certainly don't loathe you.
What happens if someone kills one of your loved ones? Would you "loathe" them too? Would you loathe them more than me? I would hope so. Do you have gradations of loathing?
I'm afraid in this life you will encounter other people whose opinions are different to yours. You ain't gonna like it. You'll be in hatred overload.
I thought it was best that I give it the rest of the day before posting a more substantial review.
First, a mention of the event itself. After spending three minutes in the presence Peter Capaldi - mostly at a strange angle as I duck to make way for overhead pieces of card - after spending two hours with Americans, Canadians, Germans and Australians on the rails, before watching Deep Breath and the Q&A session, I left the theatre on a massive high. Moffat and Jenna were both hurried by but said hello and Sam Anderson made a low-key approach from the rear. The crowds thinned out by the time he reached us - poor chap. At least it guaranteed an autograph!
Capaldi is still as much of a gent as we have seen throughout his journey since being announced. Despite arriving late and being rushed through by bodymen, he criss-crossed down the lane spending more time with everyone than the others. He wasn't going anywhere until everyone got a reasonably good look at the new Doctor. The crowds went crazy for him - outside and inside the hall. His first appearance on stage and on screen got the same reaction. Key characters moments got cheers and the laughter kept on coming. As Zoe Ball once said - it's safe to say we liked him. His leading a chorus of Happy Birthday to an audience member was the icing on the cake... that was until a very young fan was brought down from the upper tiers to get an autograph on stage. Lovely, lovely stuff.
***
There are three big things in play throughout the episode. The Doctor's search for himself. Clara's adapatation to 12 - which he doesn't make easy. Then the main plot which I won't go in to in much detail. The idea behind it is sound and a certain mechanic makes for some rather tense scenes. Though I kept willing for it to go a little more sinister - even afer a scene which makes for some grotesque mental imagery. Then I remembered this was Doctor Who and not Game of Thrones and all was well.
But to me, this took a necessary back seat to the man of the hour. As you might expect, The Doctor we see at the start of the episode is the same man we briefly meet at the end of Time of The Doctor. A lot of room for humor here. A lot of observational quips and back-and-forth as Clara tries to keep a bewildered new man under control. But it's not in the same vein as walking in to walls, slapping himself and eating fish custard. As have been mentioned, the longer scenes give us more time to see 12 go through the motions. He finds some interesting ways to occupy his time as he finishes 'cooking.' Any concerns that he has forgotton Trenzalore are soon dispatched.
Deep Breath spends a lot of time with Clara and surprisingly, given Capaldi's build up, I'm very thankful for this. Jenna is better than she has ever been - in only the first episode filmed with Capaldi. Her grief for 11 and her indecision over 12 are only part of the story. Clara described herself as a bossy control freak in Time and Moffat starts to really deliver on this in some surpringly touching sequences as she finds herself with a brand new, unpredictable man. There are themes of appearance, age and prejudice which come to a head in a superb scene with Vastra which contains a brilliant succession of lines which I really want to share but..... I can't and won't. They're cleary speaking directly to the audience at some stages. The reassurance is oddly comforting, even if I wasn't concerned to begin with.
Speaking of Vastra (sorry, I'll be back with 12 soon), the paternoster gang are in full swing and get a fair amount of screen time between them. I fully expect some of their moments to translate much better with a large audience than at home - though I hope that some of Strax's gags (love them or loathe them up to now) get a chuckle. He takes home one of the funniest moments of the episodes in an otherwise very tense standoff. Vastra and Jenny lend much more time to their relationship than in previous episodes and all three share private conversations with Clara as she tries to find her place. I don't think Deep Breath will win over many new fans of Paternoster, and there are one or too moments which may seem a little forced, but on the whole they are the transitionary team. A home base of sorts - for Clara more than The Doctor.
Now, Peter Capaldi's 12th Doctor. Inhabiting the wit of Malcolm Tucker (as Peter himself admitted) and traits which have permeated many incarnations before him. There has been a lot of speculation about a "dark" Doctor and an "unlikeable" Doctor. But Moffat put it best when he said that he's no longer flirting with you. 11's willingness to please is highlighted here as 12's more brutally honest persona grows as the episode goes on. An alien madness whirls behind his eyes. From an audience POV, 12 was highly entertaining. Funny, not out of slapstick but out of naivety and and quick wit. The recently released snippit from episode 2 gives you a good idea of this:
The Doctor: This is Clara, she's my... not assistant, what's another word...
Clara: Carer.
The Doctor: Carer, yes! She's my carer. She cares so I don't have to.
You know that he DOES care, very much - about our safety, but he won't be quick to show it. But it's not all for laughs. It's not long before that inner madness and confusion bubbles to the surface. When it arrives in force in a later scene... wow, goosebumps. It's exactly what I wanted to see from Capaldi right out of the gate. You will know the snarl when you see it. Before all of that though, his hyped up unpredictability gets an early look-in, culminating in a sequence which really turns the tables. His delivery turns words on a page to magic on the screen. Oh, I sound like a film critic.
Deep Breath is littered with beautiful moments. It's sharp, funny, touching and tells the story of two very different people trying to find how they fit together again. I really think more could have been done with the villains of the piece - but Ben Wheatley serves up a fine offering. The reintroduction of the TARDIS is a great little moment including one of many throwbacks to the past. Some more curious than others... Moffat still has things left to do.
I want to watch it again, very much so... but I also want to see how 12/Clara develop in future episodes. I have never been more excited for a duo in the 2005 series. They really do play so well off eachother for two very different looking people. Moffat gets a lot of stick for putting plot before characters - but if he is able to stick with the balance he found here, encouraging other writers to do the same - I think he is going to make a lot of people very happy with Series 8. It has a focus which needs to stick around.
The score also takes a bit of a rejig. Some people say the score doesn't affect an episode. I think it does - massively. 'I Am The Doctor' is no more and many more quieter and ticking pieces litter the episode, though you can still expect a bombastic flourish when you usually find it. But it *felt* different. Whether it was Moffat, Capaldi, Gold or Wheately - it felt like we were some way away from Series 7. I look forward to seeing and hearing it all again - at an appropriate angle - on TV. It looked like a great piece of cinematography. Some great direction at play throughout the set pieces and the quiet moments.
Perhaps it wasn't a perfect 10. But in the grand trandition of Doctor Who fans rating everything - Deep Breath would get a comfortable 9 on first viewing. An almost understated debut which puts 12 and Clara... Peter and Jenna.. in the spotlight. For me at least, Doctor Who appears to be in very safe hands after a shaky seventh series. The Capaldi casting is finally solidified as a golden decision.
Perhaps I have said a lot of nothing here, but that's pretty much expected when you can't talk about specifics
Having signed the National Moffaty Secrets Act, I can't talk about anything else. Not even bit. Or that bit. Or that bit. That's new.
Phil Ford... you're up!
***
Thank you Peter, Jenna, Sam, Steven & everyone from BBC Worldwide and St David's Hall. I didn't believe I would ever get the chance to be a part of this - at such an exciting time, too. Peter Capaldi is officially my first real-world glimpse of The Doctor... and he delivers.
It will be splendid won't it?
A LOT of the screen time is spent on the central dynamic which feels all the better for it. It's 75 minutes, so quite a bit longer, but I have no idea where the extra half hour came in because it didn't feel even close to 75 minutes and I remember being surprised when we neared the end that we were nearing the end.
If you're unsure about Clara as a character, Deep Breath will hopefully help you out there, we really really dig into the character and Jenna is impeccable.
I'm sure that this is probably it for me too. I definitely want to sit in front of my TV and drink in Deep Breath again so that I can really immerse myself in Capaldi.
Capaldi really is as superb as we all hoped: by turns edgy, strange, abrasive, deranged, clever, detached, superior, pragmatic and, yes, dark -- but always in an entertaining or amusing way. There is a scene near the end which I can't wait to be allowed to talk about in detail, which really illustrates the new approach to the Doctor's characterisation. He defeats the main threat of the episode in a way that is surprisingly and refreshingly direct and simple. There's some sonic screwdriver trickery earlier on, but it's unobtrusive and the main resolution is satisfying, believable and says a lot about the new direction of the show and the Doctor.
The overall tone is not markedly different to before. There's still a similar balance of humour, peril, drama etc, and a similar style of humour as before. However, there has been a subtle shift in the dramatic tone. The most significant change for me is that the drama now seems more cerebral, and to be delving deeper into the characters' psychology and motivations. This was very pleasing and I hope it continues.
There is a real sense of threat in several different scenes, from the villains and also from the Doctor himself. The characters (one in particular, though I won't say who) are forced into some very tense and uncomfortable situations (similar to Blink, in a way, but I can't explain further without spoilers) and Ben Wheatley's creative directing really sells the feeling that they might not escape.
I would rate this above all other new Doctor debut episodes since Spearhead from Space.
middle section - so so
Last 20mins or so - interesting, intriguing
The Independent - spoiler free review