Friends of The Beast Below

CoalHillJanitorCoalHillJanitor Posts: 15,634
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Since a lot of people have been slagging off The Beast Below in another thread, I thought it deserved an appreciation thread of its own. Anyone have something good to say about it? :)

(Note: The answer 'no' is not exactly in keeping with the spirit of this thread.) ;)
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Comments

  • HelboreHelbore Posts: 16,066
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    Yes, I really enjoyed it. It felt like a really old-school Who episode for me. Liz 10 was great.

    Never understood why it got so much hate. It might not be the best episode ever made, but is nowhere near the worst. Not by a long shot.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,114
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    What people tend to forget about TBB is it had a very specific job to do, namely welcoming in a new batch of viewers who wouldn't have necessarily seen 'normal' Who before thanks to the special year. It had to do the usual introductions of the companion role and was the first chance a lot of people would have had to see a traditional monster of the week episode. On top of that it had to deal with getting across the vital backstory from the RTD era (bad day, bad things happend) AND introduce both a new companion and a new Doctor. Oh, and continue the process of fixing some rather large problems left over from that era but that's a process that goes on until Flesh and Stone (and in other, smaller ways is still going on).

    The thing is it does all of that very well with a story that is at the very least average to good. Every time I see that episode I can't help but admire Moffat's writing all over again as it really is a huge info-dump and it hides it remarkably well. It's also a great first proper outing for 11 and does a good job at hinting how different he is from 10. More importantly it's also a strong outing for Amy and lets her stand on her own for a good chunk of time as well as actually showing us why she's considered companion-worthy (not by out-doing the Doctor as some seem to think but by having a different perspective and actually doing what the Doctor told her).

    So to sum up: A good solid episode that gets through a lot of necessary exposition while still remembering to bring a plot along and establishes both 11 and Amy very nicely indeed.
  • Residents FanResidents Fan Posts: 9,204
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    I liked "The Beast Below". It was nice to leave the Earth behind, it had an interesting imaginary
    society, a good ethical dilemma for the Doctor and a dash of Douglas Adams-style humour.
  • HallamsteriscooHallamsteriscoo Posts: 21,667
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    I'm on board, the more I watch it the more I enjoy it

    Thought Liz 10 was fab too, hope we see her again :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 527
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    I liked this episode much more than most people seem to have. Specifically, as someone else mentioned, because of how well it introduces the core elements of the Doctor to new viewers.

    The episode continues the introduction of Amy Pond as a great companion for The Doctor by how well she fits into his world. The moment at the end where she figures out how to save the day is a moment that is when she proves her worth as a new companion both to the Doctor and to the viewers.

    It is also a good episode to introduce new fans who may have come onboard with S5. The most important thing to know about the Doctor is that he is very old, very wise, and cannot bear to see a child cry.

    All of this was told in a old-school science fiction setting of a type that you don't see too much of anymore and had a fairly decent moral dilemma at its core.

    I didn't think it was anywhere near as good as episodes like The Eleventh Hour or Amy's Choice, but in my opinion it was no where near the worst of series five like The Hungry Earth two parter or Vampires of Venice.
  • davrosdodebirddavrosdodebird Posts: 8,692
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    The only thing that irked me was the delivery of the line "and I'm the bloody queen."

    However, that isn't in with the spirit of the thread, so I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed the moral aspect of the story, and in particular the Doctor's frustration at the humans later on :)

    I loved the line "There's an escaped fish..." :D
  • CoalHillJanitorCoalHillJanitor Posts: 15,634
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    I'm on board, the more I watch it the more I enjoy it

    Thought Liz 10 was fab too, hope we see her again :)

    I've grown to appreciate the writing and performances through multiple viewings as well. It's our first insight into the personality of the fully 'cooked' Eleventh Doctor and we get to see his full range of emotions-- his compassion, his whimsy, his anger, as well as his 'alien-ness' in general.

    I particularly like the way Moffat reworked the 'you-look-human', 'you-look-Time-Lord' exchange from Planet of the Dead. Whereas POTD charged that dialogue with inter-species sexual tension, TBB completely reversed that by having the Doctor emphasise how ancient the Time Lords are and almost imply that humans are an inferior copy. :)

    Other great dialogue:


    'Did he do the thing?'

    'Say wheeeeeeeeeee!'

    'This isn't going to be big on dignity.'

    'Mysterious stranger, MO consistent with higher alien intelligence, hair of an idiot.'

    'People phone you?' - 'Well, it's a phone box.'


    And the Hartnellesque foretaste of the next episode with Churchill and the Dalek shadow is a brilliant touch. :)

    The Beast Below is one of only two episodes my 3-year-old asks for by name. Well, not actually by name. He calls it 'the one about turning around' (as opposed to 'the one about the space monster' - The Eleventh Hour). :D
  • BobbyMaloneBobbyMalone Posts: 709
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    Was TBB very badly recieved on here at the time? I think its a great little episode. Kept up the fairytale-ish feel of TEH and created this fascinating self contained world. Some beautiful moments- Amy floating outside the Tardis being one of my defining images of new who, and getting to see the new doctors personality developing. If anything I think there was too much going on for one episode which meant certain bits ( I'm thinking of the Smilers in particular) were not given the attention or pay off they deserved. But better to aim for greatness and fall slightly short than just wallow in mediocrity. A lovely episode.
  • CoalHillJanitorCoalHillJanitor Posts: 15,634
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    Was TBB very badly recieved on here at the time? I think its a great little episode. Kept up the fairytale-ish feel of TEH and created this fascinating self contained world. Some beautiful moments- Amy floating outside the Tardis being one of my defining images of new who, and getting to see the new doctors personality developing. If anything I think there was too much going on for one episode which meant certain bits ( I'm thinking of the Smilers in particular) were not given the attention or pay off they deserved. But better to aim for greatness and fall slightly short than just wallow in mediocrity. A lovely episode.

    I think the one that got the most abuse at the time was Victory of the Daleks. I don't remember so much dislike for TBB. Possibly some were disappointed because it wasn't as epic as TEH.
  • JCRJCR Posts: 24,009
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    I didn't think much of it on first broadcast, but I saw it again this year and it was better than I remembered. I like the Beast Below, it's nowhere near the worst episode of series 5.
  • Yoshi FanYoshi Fan Posts: 13,903
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    I love it. One of the best S5 eps in my opinion.:)
  • HallamsteriscooHallamsteriscoo Posts: 21,667
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    The only thing that irked me was the delivery of the line "and I'm the bloody queen."

    However, that isn't in with the spirit of the thread, so I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed the moral aspect of the story, and in particular the Doctor's frustration at the humans later on :)

    I loved the line "There's an escaped fish..." :D

    I loved that too :D
    I've grown to appreciate the writing and performances through multiple viewings as well. It's our first insight into the personality of the fully 'cooked' Eleventh Doctor and we get to see his full range of emotions-- his compassion, his whimsy, his anger, as well as his 'alien-ness' in general.

    I particularly like the way Moffat reworked the 'you-look-human', 'you-look-Time-Lord' exchange from Planet of the Dead. Whereas POTD charged that dialogue with inter-species sexual tension, TBB completely reversed that by having the Doctor emphasise how ancient the Time Lords are and almost imply that humans are an inferior copy. :)

    Other great dialogue:


    'Did he do the thing?'

    'Say wheeeeeeeeeee!'

    'This isn't going to be big on dignity.'

    'Mysterious stranger, MO consistent with higher alien intelligence, hair of an idiot.'

    'People phone you?' - 'Well, it's a phone box.'


    And the Hartnellesque foretaste of the next episode with Churchill and the Dalek shadow is a brilliant touch. :)

    The Beast Below is one of only two episodes my 3-year-old asks for by name. Well, not actually by name. He calls it 'the one about turning around' (as opposed to 'the one about the space monster' - The Eleventh Hour). :D

    Awwwww how lovely :D

    I agree with all of the above, but I also liked the fact that the Doctor was going to get it wrong, it just shows that even with his vastly superior intellect he can still make mistakes, gives the rest of us mere mortals a bit of hope :D
  • johnnysaucepnjohnnysaucepn Posts: 6,775
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    I think some people were disappointed that the main monsters turned out not to be at all relevant to the plot, they were somewhat tagged on to the plot to try and insert some action - didn't bother me that much though!
  • CoalHillJanitorCoalHillJanitor Posts: 15,634
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    I think some people were disappointed that the main monsters turned out not to be at all relevant to the plot, they were somewhat tagged on to the plot to try and insert some action - didn't bother me that much though!

    Leaves some room for them to return somewhere else one day. I'd like to see Genesis of the Smilers. ;)
  • TheSilentFezTheSilentFez Posts: 11,102
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    I don't know why people don't like this episode. It was really good.
  • WebslarkWebslark Posts: 18,946
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    Leaves some room for them to return somewhere else one day. I'd like to see Genesis of the Smilers. ;)

    Personally, I think they might evolve into the headless monks :eek:

    By which I meant, not actually turn into them, but become the foundation of the order. :)
  • CoalHillJanitorCoalHillJanitor Posts: 15,634
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    Webslark wrote: »
    Personally, I think they might evolve into the headless monks :eek:

    By which I meant, not actually turn into them, but become the foundation of the order. :)

    Oh I dunno, how many anticlockwise turns can you make without your head unscrewing? :D
  • WebslarkWebslark Posts: 18,946
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    Oh I dunno, how many anticlockwise turns can you make without your head unscrewing? :D

    Personally I have it on good authority that I have been screwed up for years :D

    or have a screw loose ;)
  • Residents FanResidents Fan Posts: 9,204
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    Webslark wrote: »
    Personally, I think they might evolve into the headless monks :eek:

    By which I meant, not actually turn into them, but become the foundation of the order. :)

    Sounds like an interesting idea....
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,991
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    What people tend to forget about TBB is it had a very specific job to do, namely welcoming in a new batch of viewers who wouldn't have necessarily seen 'normal' Who before thanks to the special year. It had to do the usual introductions of the companion role and was the first chance a lot of people would have had to see a traditional monster of the week episode. On top of that it had to deal with getting across the vital backstory from the RTD era (bad day, bad things happend) AND introduce both a new companion and a new Doctor. Oh, and continue the process of fixing some rather large problems left over from that era but that's a process that goes on until Flesh and Stone (and in other, smaller ways is still going on).
    The thing is it does all of that very well with a story that is at the very least average to good. Every time I see that episode I can't help but admire Moffat's writing all over again as it really is a huge info-dump and it hides it remarkably well. It's also a great first proper outing for 11 and does a good job at hinting how different he is from 10. More importantly it's also a strong outing for Amy and lets her stand on her own for a good chunk of time as well as actually showing us why she's considered companion-worthy (not by out-doing the Doctor as some seem to think but by having a different perspective and actually doing what the Doctor told her).

    So to sum up: A good solid episode that gets through a lot of necessary exposition while still remembering to bring a plot along and establishes both 11 and Amy very nicely indeed.

    i don't get that???? What problems was it trying to fix...in fact what problems is the series still trying to fix???:confused:


    I loved this episode myself...after being quite disappointed by TEH....this was teh first episode of the Moff's since the Empty Child two parter, which coverd a subtext....politics in this case. And i enjoyed that element very much....I felt it was a mix of the Long Game and Gridlock in its themes...and had its own uniqueness as well. The ending, while I don't mind, got a bit too "all is well now" considering what choices the Queen had made, and that people had died....not that I expected her to be exiled or killed by the Doctor....I think just being told by Amy that the Queen will not let something like that happen again was a bit, "yeah the story is over"....and Amy repeating the whole the Doctor being old and kind got a bit annoying too....but loved it otherwise....looked very beautiful too....
  • Residents FanResidents Fan Posts: 9,204
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    Should we form a "Friends of the Beast Below" society? The males can wear Smiler masks and robes and the females can dress like Liz 10. ;)
  • CoalHillJanitorCoalHillJanitor Posts: 15,634
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    Should we form a "Friends of the Beast Below" society? The males can wear Smiler masks and robes and the females can dress like Liz 10. ;)

    FBB ..... BFF! :p:D
  • nebogipfelnebogipfel Posts: 8,375
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    Should we form a "Friends of the Beast Below" society? The males can wear Smiler masks and robes and the females can dress like Liz 10. ;)

    Well alright. But it's a shame to make me forego my usual Liz 10 getup. :( Most people are quite complimentary.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 101
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    crazzyaz7 wrote: »
    I loved this episode myself...after being quite disappointed by TEH....this was teh first episode of the Moff's since the Empty Child two parter, which coverd a subtext....politics in this case. And i enjoyed that element very much....I felt it was a mix of the Long Game and Gridlock in its themes...and had its own uniqueness as well. The ending, while I don't mind, got a bit too "all is well now" considering what choices the Queen had made, and that people had died....not that I expected her to be exiled or killed by the Doctor....I think just being told by Amy that the Queen will not let something like that happen again was a bit, "yeah the story is over"....and Amy repeating the whole the Doctor being old and kind got a bit annoying too....but loved it otherwise....looked very beautiful too....

    I liked the beast below. It definitely showed that Amy earned her place. She stopped him from doing something he would be haunted by for a very long time.
  • nebogipfelnebogipfel Posts: 8,375
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    A good little story about the morals of turning a blind eye done in the usual Doctor Who way.

    If I were the police state I probably would not have been sending people's kids down chutes to be eaten - drawing attention to the secret - but it did show that the smilers were more than just a grumpy face.

    I understand some thought the portrayal of the police state was a bit muddled and a few plot holes. hmmm. I still thought the idea was good and if they had a little more time would probably have ironed those out. They used to take their time with stories and show carefully thought out police states and realistic opposition movements - the Space Museum for example. No, wait....

    :)
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