It's seems like the end of the RTD era.... Very negative.

This 2nd part of the series seem to be the bitter end for quite a few....

I think this seems to be true. For example when one reads the thread about today's episode they would think that it must have been boring or rubbish, but when you look at the poll outcome so far, half the people so far seem to believe that it was an excellent episode and further 22% think it was either very good or good, which is a pretty clear majority IMO. I know it's way too early, but the polls for the other episodes of 7B with the exception of Rings of Akhaten all episodes of 7B seem to be considered excellent/very good/good by the majority of people on here:

Excellent Good
Hide 43% 36%
CW 30% 36%
Rings 13% 22%
Bells 33% 41%

Then there's the fact of the ratings/AI remaining constantly high. Also asides from Rings pretty much all the reviews for the episodes so far have been quite good and most for today's episode have considered it to be an excellent episode.

Also, I find the amount of negative threads on here quite perpexing, because in other places where DW is debated that I visit I haven't seen anywhere near as much as on here. Might be because those are DW only places and not general ones that have a DW section like this one.Take DWTV for example, if one looks at the comments about today's episode on there pretty muh 9 out of 10 people (this is not a fact just a mere estimate on my part) seem to believe today's episode to be excellent.

My only problems are the general quality of the stories - there doesn't seem to be any depth to any of them.

There was a warmth to the RTD era which just isn't present - at all - in SM's stories. They've generally left me cold and I find whether I want to rewatch an episode to be the indicator as to whether it's any good or not, and more often than not, I haven't; watched any SM stories multiple times.

I personally think this series has been a return to form, however it's still definitely not how it was or how it should be. I long for the days of RTD. At first Moffat felt like a breath of fresh air to me and I enjoyed series 5, the twists and turns and more 'intellectual' episodes really interested me, but then they just ran dry, however throughout the Ponds did remain good characters, as is Matt Smiths doctor. A comment that I read recently from Moffat was something about the new Whisper monster, and it went something along the lines of "we've brought the Cybermen and Ice Warriors back, so I thought we'd bring in a new monster". The whole point of Doctor Who is to have a monster every episode. Sure they do that, but not very effectively and in Moffat era Doctor Who, when is the monster ever the main focus? I miss the days when we had monsters like the Clockwork Robots, The Weeping Angels, The Slitheen, etc.The only Moffat era monster that has been memorable was the Silence and even they weren't used to their full potential, in my opinion.

All Moffat does is bring back old ones, and create boring, uninteresting ones that generally do nothing for the plot and are just there to fill the criteria. I miss those episodes where it was just the Doctor and his companion, and guests, being chased my monsters and saving the world. So maybe it wasn't 'intellectually stimulating' but it was a hell of a lot more fun, and frightening too. The scary episodes are always the best to me, and while they have come close, for example the episode two weeks ago with the ghost, the monster has just never been memorable or scary enough and it was only the atmosphere that did make it frightening. I feel Moffat is just trying too hard to make Doctor Who into something it shouldn't be. Yes, keep the twists and turns all you like, they are interesting, but for god sake, please start making some memorable monsters and just let the episode be about that, and that only, for once.

To me the show lost something ever since Rings of Ahmadinejad. I`m not even enjoying Clara as the new companion. She seems bland now yet I loved her in Asylum and Snowmen.

^^^
Autocorrect!

to me it just seems like a huge sudden change, Moffat build the show through 5 and 6 on the doctor being funny and abit crazy with his bright tardis and happy endings
Now suddenly i can help feeling this as some sort of eleven reboot new suit dark lighting dark storys

while each season there was a slight change with 10 his character type of story ect stayed the same

Today's episode had a happy ending though, they pressed the big reset button so everyone lived.

EDIT: Actually last weeks episode had a happy ending too. In fact the monster turned out not to be the monster after all.

EDIT AGAIN: Actually all the episodes of series 7b have had happy endings?

I think there have always been dark episodes, but I do think it's lost its charm in other ways. It doesn't have that spark of brilliance at the moment. I'm finding it lacklustre and a bit dull.

I never rated her to begin with. You can tell Coleman hasn't been to drama school like most of our actors. I can always 'see' her acting - she never becomes the characters she plays.

Anyway I'm also getting fed up of 7B. I actually like Moffat's era but this isn't a patch on series 5 and 6.

Has Doctor Who lost its charm? Yes and no.

Each era of Classic Who had its own unique charm, the RTD had its own unique charm and SM era has its own unique charm.

In other words, over the last 50 years, the charm of the previous era was lost but it was soon replaced by a new different type of charm, which is how it should be.

Both Moffat creations... as for the Slitheen, can you imagine the stick Moffat would be getting now if he'd introduced a species of flatulent alien?

Erm...where were all the dark and depressing storylines then? One of us has been watching something else, and I'm pretty sure it ain't me!
Seriously, those episodes all had happy endings and were not particularly dark at all, certainly no more than usual. One even had the reset button! The only thing I found even remotely dark was the nuclear war talk in Cold War and I know that's a problem with me, not the writing!

From this thread I was literally expecting Clara to go in a room and find the Doctor standing there dripping with blood having just chopped up the villain Dexter style or something!
Clara didn't open the book and instantly have a vision of Gallifrey burning even though it was a perfect opportunity for her to do so, the Doctor didn't start crying about being lonely any time during Cold War even though it was a perfect opportunity for him to do so, Emma didn't burst into flames and/or die when they were changing Time, they didn't turn up just too late and find the time-travelling woman dead then have to tell her relatives, the Doctor didn't hear unbearable screaming in his head when the TARDIS was being wrecked nor did the burnt-looking monsters turn out to be dead/trapped Time Lords wanting revenge on the Doctor for killing them, there wasn't even any regenerating, and Clara didn't leave!

What, you mean like that bit where Rory asks, "Who killed all the Daleks?" and he answers, "Me."?

Or the one where he deliberately allowed the villain to be blown up by a missile?

I just meant in 7B, not the entire time, and yes the ones you describe are a lot better.

I think that some of the charm has definitely been lost but I don't know why. I really like Matt Smith as the Doctor (more so than Tennant) and I really liked Clara in the Christmas episode but since then I have found the chemistry between them to be a bit rubbish. I liked the Ponds (especially Rory as he always brought a bit of humour), I loved River Song (again her interaction with Matt is brilliant). I just don't seem to be feeling the warmth between Matt and Jenna. I so wanted to like her and as said previously LOVED her at Christmas but as a full time companion I am just not getting her. With that in mind, even though a lot of previous episodes have been quite scary, there was always some humour/sarcasm to lighten the mood which is now missing. I also find there is no depth to the new stories. I am a huge Who fan and hope to continue to be, but can honestly say that I personally have not enjoyed any of the last few episodes. I have found them all to be a bit blah.:yawn:

Personally, I'd have said series 7 (a & b) has pulled the show back from the brink.

Series 6 was the year where I felt the show disappeared completely up its own arse, so I gave up on it.

I honestly think they've learnt some lessons from that - and, aside from 'Rings' and 'Angels Take Manhatten', all of the episodes have had something going for them, to varying degrees of success.

We've not had a 'knockout' episode this year yet, tho' - not like 'Vincent' and 'The Doctor's Wife' from previous years. As such, I have high hopes for Gaiman's Cybermen tale.

Regards,

Cypher

Please become showrunner, Sophie! I wanna see an immensely dark, 18-rated Who! Nobody cares about the children!

Should I take that as a compliment?

I think we should take it as a nervous breakdown!

This is what I'm acutely aware of when I'm watching, it's very rare for me because I usually get immersed in whatever I happen to be watching but with her I'm conscious that she is 'reciting lines'. But then again, I can't help wondering if this is the intention.

Completely agree. I would far rather watch old repeats of Who with DT or even Ecclestone - nothing against Matt Smith but this latest series is just boring. The plots are too complicated and I know it sounds silly - but too far fetched - like THAT would ever happen! The Clara character is just plain irritating, with her babyish posh childish antics and clothes, not a patch on Rose, Martha or Donna - all totally different but all likeable and down to earth. Clara needs a good slap and a more grown up wardrobe. This is from a 47 year old female who remembers Tom Baker etc...what a long way we have come!

Me too. Been watching old repeats on Watch, for all their "simplicity" they are far more watchable than the latest drivel. I actually turned off on saturday, Clara irritates me too much! :yawn:

The main problem is that their is a coldness coming from the show.

Yes because Rose Tyler was always such an elegant dresser...

also, just out of interest. Do you consider the Tardis single handedly towing a planet back into its orbit with no serious implications for the people inhabiting said planet to be somewhat realistic?

What about when Gallifrey entered the earths orbit? Baring in mind that our own Moon can have seismic changes on the tide patterns of the earth what do you think would've happened if a whole planet turned up? Clue. It would be more serious than various extras running out of houses, looking up to the sky and clutching their faces in mild panic.

Come on now. Doctor Who is and always has been far fetched. What sort of criticism is that to throw at the Moffat era?!