First time I've ever posted an 'excellent' for an episode.
You fanbois really need to get a grip of yourselves. I mean, two out of ten?? My bottom!
It was easy to follow (relatively speaking, but considering we have Moffatt at the helm this was simple), fast paced, well acted and brilliantly realised.
It had tension, suspense, humour, horror, mystery, surprises aplenty and a neat conclusion. It was classic sci-fi without becoming nerdy and it was characterful drama without straying into soapland.
What else do you want?
What's that? You want the Rani to turn up married to Borussa to unleash an army of Daleks on the Doctor in a way that can only be foiled if you caught (and understood) parts 1 and 3 of 'Survival'??? :? *sigh*
The Great Intelligence doesn't really live up to its name. It is grabbing minds for no obvious reason but expects that The Doctor is coming. Maybe the whole scam is just a ruse to flush out The Doctor but this seems unlikely given that it has been controlling some of the people working for it for decades, certainly longer than wifi has been around. Despite knowing The Doctor is coming it completely fails to prepare its staff or have any plan what to do when he turns up and just folds up the operation on the spot. The central problem with the episode is that the bad guys didn't seem to have a coherent objective or put up much of a fight.
My theory after the Christmas episode was that this was the real Clara and the other two we've seen so far are just digital copies, downloaded into a perfected ice-person and a dalek. This episode provides more to support that.
Also, did anyone else catch Clara's comment on the book? The boy said he was on chapter 10, she said "11's the best, you'll cry your eyes out." 11th Doctor?
11 pages already wow. I'm just going to jump straight in and then go back and read what I can. That was a great episode. Sets us up for some more good stuff to come hopefully. UNIT appeared, REG appeared as the face of the big bad Great Intelligence ( or is it something else in disguise- although he did say he remembered UNIT from years before). Clara kinda got the internet downloaded, at least partially, into her head from the failed upload. Might explain how she got so knowledgeable in the asylum- if indeed that is in her future? OR could be the start of a red herring
Can't wait to see what happens, and to try (and likely fail) to figure it all out along the way each week. This could be great
The Great Intelligence doesn't really live up to its name. It is grabbing minds for no obvious reason but expects that The Doctor is coming. Maybe the whole scam is just a ruse to flush out The Doctor but this seems unlikely given that it has been controlling some of the people working for it for decades, certainly longer than wifi has been around. Despite knowing The Doctor is coming it completely fails to prepare its staff or have any plan what to do when he turns up and just folds up the operation on the spot. The central problem with the episode is that the bad guys didn't seem to have a coherent objective or put up much of a fight.
Though maybe it's all part of the plan. The Doctor is at his weakest when his ego is running unchecked. Maybe the GI is setting up these easy wins for the Doctor to draw him into a state of complacency?
Think this episode may well have resolved the mystery of Clara which is no bad thing. The fact she has been downloaded means that her "soul" could perhaps find itself anywhere..It's how it does that will be interesting.
Didn't like the exposition heavy start to the episode but I enjoyed large bits of it and it does feel a bit fresher in terms of not the same old tropes. But only just.
They do. This has beed a gripe of mine for a long time. It shoukd be an hour at least but I suspect thats down to the Beeb awful scheduking rather than the production of the show.
I thought it was a pretty good episode, although it did feel anti-climactic and strangely small-scale despite the threat, which I felt was a bit thin and under-developed. Loved some of the set pieces (the plane, motorbike up the Shard), and some of the twists were good, like the duplicate Doctor (both times!). The directing was good, especially the continuous shot from outside of the TARDIS to the plane, although I thought the music was a bit off at times. Nice to see the GI again, I had a feeling that he'd be in it in some form, and UNIT's always good; they give modern day Earth a sense of consistency.
Still, I think it would have been nice to see more interaction with the Doctor and Clara, and I'm thinking Jenna should tone it down a little bit. But looking forward to the next episodes!
Initially thought it was a so-so episode, but after thinking a bit and reading good old DS I've changed my mind as every one here has brought a new perspective to it.
As people here all saw it from different angles the whole thread brings it all into focus.
FWIW when Matt was on Jonathan Ross the only clue he would give was 'paintings'.
So far we've seen the Mad Monk's painting and the painting on Amy's book cover.
Shades of Dorian Grey here?
Anyone have any idea what this episodes logo was supposed to represent? http://oi46.tinypic.com/1j2op.jpg
I'm not sure how the logo relates to the episode.
They do. This has beed a gripe of mine for a long time. It shoukd be an hour at least but I suspect thats down to the Beeb awful scheduking rather than the production of the show.
It's to do with flogging it to other commercial stations and utilising a one hour time slot so they can get 15 mins of adverts in.
They do. This has beed a gripe of mine for a long time. It shoukd be an hour at least but I suspect thats down to the Beeb awful scheduking rather than the production of the show.
I think it is because they sell the show abroad and to cable channels. Ad breaks included makes a one hour show.
What's that? You want the Rani to turn up married to Borussa to unleash an army of Daleks on the Doctor in a way that can only be foiled if you caught (and understood) parts 1 and 3 of 'Survival'??? :? *sigh*
That is not necessarily to do with the length of the episodes. A lot of it may be to do with the need to avoid the ADHD crowd getting bored by more than 30 seconds of coherent plot at a time. You know the sort; The ones who comment here or tweet "Boring" periodically from about 10 minutes in. It definitely has a detrimental affect. By trying to keep a breakneck pace all the way through the climax never seems to be as much of a climax. The trick is to modulate the pace more.
Comments
and yeah, just thought about MISS KISLET ..... damn, how long was she under the influence of the great intelligence???
could she have been one of the children nannied by clara all that time ago?
You fanbois really need to get a grip of yourselves. I mean, two out of ten?? My bottom!
It was easy to follow (relatively speaking, but considering we have Moffatt at the helm this was simple), fast paced, well acted and brilliantly realised.
It had tension, suspense, humour, horror, mystery, surprises aplenty and a neat conclusion. It was classic sci-fi without becoming nerdy and it was characterful drama without straying into soapland.
What else do you want?
What's that? You want the Rani to turn up married to Borussa to unleash an army of Daleks on the Doctor in a way that can only be foiled if you caught (and understood) parts 1 and 3 of 'Survival'??? :? *sigh*
Best series opener since Rose. Superb.
Ooh, that just gave me shivers. That'd be great. If creepy.
Also, did anyone else catch Clara's comment on the book? The boy said he was on chapter 10, she said "11's the best, you'll cry your eyes out." 11th Doctor?
Can't wait to see what happens, and to try (and likely fail) to figure it all out along the way each week. This could be great
Though maybe it's all part of the plan. The Doctor is at his weakest when his ego is running unchecked. Maybe the GI is setting up these easy wins for the Doctor to draw him into a state of complacency?
Not great but not awful either.
I was actually wondering if there might be more than one old companion involved, passing messages on etc. Just a thought.
Didn't like the exposition heavy start to the episode but I enjoyed large bits of it and it does feel a bit fresher in terms of not the same old tropes. But only just.
Thanks Sandy. One less to work out.
They do. This has beed a gripe of mine for a long time. It shoukd be an hour at least but I suspect thats down to the Beeb awful scheduking rather than the production of the show.
Not just me then:
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showpost.php?p=65081020&postcount=233
I am so making that my WiFi name!
I thought it was a pretty good episode, although it did feel anti-climactic and strangely small-scale despite the threat, which I felt was a bit thin and under-developed. Loved some of the set pieces (the plane, motorbike up the Shard), and some of the twists were good, like the duplicate Doctor (both times!). The directing was good, especially the continuous shot from outside of the TARDIS to the plane, although I thought the music was a bit off at times. Nice to see the GI again, I had a feeling that he'd be in it in some form, and UNIT's always good; they give modern day Earth a sense of consistency.
Still, I think it would have been nice to see more interaction with the Doctor and Clara, and I'm thinking Jenna should tone it down a little bit. But looking forward to the next episodes!
A lot of these shows seem very rushed.
As people here all saw it from different angles the whole thread brings it all into focus.
FWIW when Matt was on Jonathan Ross the only clue he would give was 'paintings'.
So far we've seen the Mad Monk's painting and the painting on Amy's book cover.
Shades of Dorian Grey here?
http://oi46.tinypic.com/1j2op.jpg
I'm not sure how the logo relates to the episode.
It's to do with flogging it to other commercial stations and utilising a one hour time slot so they can get 15 mins of adverts in.
I think it is because they sell the show abroad and to cable channels. Ad breaks included makes a one hour show.
Celia Imrie doesn't look over 100!:-)
Perhaps the leaf was from the park when young Clara met the doctor in the online prequel?
And the 11th chapter might be Clara's 11th episode - the 50th anniversary one?
River can't be downloaded from the library as her body was fried wasn't it?
That is not necessarily to do with the length of the episodes. A lot of it may be to do with the need to avoid the ADHD crowd getting bored by more than 30 seconds of coherent plot at a time. You know the sort; The ones who comment here or tweet "Boring" periodically from about 10 minutes in. It definitely has a detrimental affect. By trying to keep a breakneck pace all the way through the climax never seems to be as much of a climax. The trick is to modulate the pace more.