Voted very bad.
Utter drivel. Felt insulted, to be honest
Utter drivel. Felt insulted, to be honest
Results:How do you rate this episode?
Excellent
49 (12.10%)
Very Good
45 (11.11%)
Good
56 (13.83%)
Average
69 (17.04%)
Poor
62 (15.31%)
Bad
34 (8.40%)
Very Bad
90 (22.22%)
Voters: 405. You can't vote on this poll right now - are you signed in?
Doctor Who S9E9: Sleep No More BBC1/HD. 14/11/2015 20:15. New Official Thread
14 of 23
Originally Posted by eggshell:
“Not the attic, that's where the ear wax monsters live
”
“Not the attic, that's where the ear wax monsters live
”
And the snot monsters live in the basement
Originally Posted by eggshell:
“The conceit was that you weren't watching an episode of Doctor Who tonight you were watching a video transmitted by the Shearsmith character.
The video showed the Doctor and Co being chased by Sandmen.
The big reveal was that the Sandmen are created by an electronic signal sent to people's brain which was embedded in the video you have been watching.
We're all doomed !!!”
“The conceit was that you weren't watching an episode of Doctor Who tonight you were watching a video transmitted by the Shearsmith character.
The video showed the Doctor and Co being chased by Sandmen.
The big reveal was that the Sandmen are created by an electronic signal sent to people's brain which was embedded in the video you have been watching.
We're all doomed !!!”
Which is presumably why there were no opening credits
Originally Posted by Kane_Smith:
“I didn't delete the thread? DS mods did lol are we still going on about this? Change the record”
“I didn't delete the thread? DS mods did lol are we still going on about this? Change the record”
I never said you did delete the thread. I said you disappeared... oh, nevermind.
Listen, no need to be so vexed.
Originally Posted by Daniel Dare:
“I never said you did delete the thread. I said you disappeared... oh, nevermind.
Listen, no need to be so vexed.”
“I never said you did delete the thread. I said you disappeared... oh, nevermind.
Listen, no need to be so vexed.
”
I had personal things to sort out hence the lack of activity.
Originally Posted by Onemilescarf:
“Really atmospheric and spooky. I love how the monsters were shot. That last shot - poor kids, never mind the sofa, they'll be hiding in the attic after that one.
All those people with their weird agenda against the current production crew should go watch Dragonfire. It had a lot of similar situations (monster in corridors, melting people, crazy leader). Watch it (if you actually can, I found it painfull) and then compare how it was made to tonight's episode. Then come back to us on how this is the worst era in the programmes history.”
“Really atmospheric and spooky. I love how the monsters were shot. That last shot - poor kids, never mind the sofa, they'll be hiding in the attic after that one.
All those people with their weird agenda against the current production crew should go watch Dragonfire. It had a lot of similar situations (monster in corridors, melting people, crazy leader). Watch it (if you actually can, I found it painfull) and then compare how it was made to tonight's episode. Then come back to us on how this is the worst era in the programmes history.”
That's not really a positive though is it.. well at-least its better than a god awful episode from the shows past, yeah so. That doesn't necessarily make the current ep/era/series/whatever good, it might be better in comparison but still doesn't mean its good. Its a spectrum.
People don't need to justify why the original Star Wars or The Empire Strikes back are so good by saying, hey watch phantom menace and then see just how good the first two are, no the first two stand on their own two feet and you can just say watch it because they are great.
Reading through this thread, I suspect a lot of the notes on the production crew's desk on Monday will be "Don't write episodes with a clever last minute twist that requires an intentionally convoluted and mis-mashed narrative up until that point, because most of the audience won't play along and will just start gibbering bile"...
It wasn't the most spectacular episode in the world, but I think the final conceit is pretty clever for a 7pm mass-market show: that we've just watched propaganda hacked together from random footage - and not necessarily anything at all to do with "real events" - by a "director" creating a film with a traditional rollercoaster of dramatic moments and plot twists in order to keep the audience - you - watching.
It's all very meta-Dr Who really, about the nature of making TV shows.
It wasn't the most spectacular episode in the world, but I think the final conceit is pretty clever for a 7pm mass-market show: that we've just watched propaganda hacked together from random footage - and not necessarily anything at all to do with "real events" - by a "director" creating a film with a traditional rollercoaster of dramatic moments and plot twists in order to keep the audience - you - watching.
It's all very meta-Dr Who really, about the nature of making TV shows.
Originally Posted by Spagetti_Monste:
“Complete Bullshit.”
“Complete Bullshit.”
Now come on, don't sit on the fence, tell us what you really think...
I enjoyed it! I found it quite scary at times. I guessed it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea but I'm surprised by the very negative reaction.
Originally Posted by eggshell:
“The conceit was that you weren't watching an episode of Doctor Who tonight you were watching a video transmitted by the Shearsmith character.
The video showed the Doctor and Co being chased by Sandmen.
The big reveal was that the Sandmen are created by an electronic signal sent to people's brain which was embedded in the video you have been watching.
We're all doomed !!!”
“The conceit was that you weren't watching an episode of Doctor Who tonight you were watching a video transmitted by the Shearsmith character.
The video showed the Doctor and Co being chased by Sandmen.
The big reveal was that the Sandmen are created by an electronic signal sent to people's brain which was embedded in the video you have been watching.
We're all doomed !!!”
Hmm, thanks maybe I did get it then - I was expecting a better pay off.
Originally Posted by Pootmatoot:
“Reading through this thread, I suspect a lot of the notes on the production crew's desk on Monday will be "Don't write episodes with a clever last minute twist that requires an intentionally convoluted and mis-mashed narrative up until that point, because most of the audience won't play along and will just start gibbering bile"...
It wasn't the most spectacular episode in the world, but I think the final conceit is pretty clever for a 7pm mass-market show: that we've just watched propaganda hacked together from random footage - and not necessarily anything at all to do with "real events" - by a "director" creating a film with a traditional rollercoaster of dramatic moments and plot twists in order to keep the audience - you - watching.
It's all very meta-Dr Who really, about the nature of making TV shows.”
“Reading through this thread, I suspect a lot of the notes on the production crew's desk on Monday will be "Don't write episodes with a clever last minute twist that requires an intentionally convoluted and mis-mashed narrative up until that point, because most of the audience won't play along and will just start gibbering bile"...
It wasn't the most spectacular episode in the world, but I think the final conceit is pretty clever for a 7pm mass-market show: that we've just watched propaganda hacked together from random footage - and not necessarily anything at all to do with "real events" - by a "director" creating a film with a traditional rollercoaster of dramatic moments and plot twists in order to keep the audience - you - watching.
It's all very meta-Dr Who really, about the nature of making TV shows.”
Totally agree that the conceit is clever, but they have duty to be entertaining as well and not to confuse their audience.
The fact that half the stuff that came out of the Shearsmiths characters mouth was a lie, didn't help matters.
It really felt like 5 minutes of good that somebody then had to add 40 minutes of padding to...and a lot of exposition !!!
I thought it was pretty good If I follow the logic through in my head - that episode actually didn't even happen - every bit of it was just a story made by the professor to entertain us while we "watch" his video and fall into his death trap.
There is a sense of irony actually that some people criticised this episode so early on in watching it and turned off. The irony being that this is the exact reason why the professors plan didn't work because ...
The professor made a video with hidden signals and in order to make his signals work he created an "entertaining story" to hook viewers into watching his video broadcast long enough to receive his hidden signals. However, his plan clearly didn't work, well do you see the irony- it's because whoever got the video - well they turned off after less than five minutes LOL - hahaha ! Maybe it's a dig at youtube bloggers who rant for nothing ...
So in reality, neither the Doctor or Jenna were there, there was no rescue team, no sandmen, it as all a made up story - hence next episode has absolutely nothing to do with it. I've rarely like many of Gatiss' episodes before - this was not bad, kinda clever
Oh - clearly the theme this series is all about creatures in coffins
If I follow the logic through in my head - that episode actually didn't even happen - every bit of it was just a story made by the professor to entertain us while we "watch" his video and fall into his death trap.There is a sense of irony actually that some people criticised this episode so early on in watching it and turned off. The irony being that this is the exact reason why the professors plan didn't work because ...
The professor made a video with hidden signals and in order to make his signals work he created an "entertaining story" to hook viewers into watching his video broadcast long enough to receive his hidden signals. However, his plan clearly didn't work, well do you see the irony- it's because whoever got the video - well they turned off after less than five minutes LOL - hahaha ! Maybe it's a dig at youtube bloggers who rant for nothing ...
So in reality, neither the Doctor or Jenna were there, there was no rescue team, no sandmen, it as all a made up story - hence next episode has absolutely nothing to do with it. I've rarely like many of Gatiss' episodes before - this was not bad, kinda clever
Oh - clearly the theme this series is all about creatures in coffins
Originally Posted by anyonefortennis:
“The majority of comments on here said it was rubbish and yet the DS poll has a high percentage of excellent votes. Go figure. This poll is a load of hokum.”
“The majority of comments on here said it was rubbish and yet the DS poll has a high percentage of excellent votes. Go figure. This poll is a load of hokum.”
Well maybe that's because a fair proportion of us vote but don't bother to comment, usually what I have to say has already been said a few times so I don't bother.
Up until this one I thought this series was very CBBC and average, tonight I voted very good for the first time this series, silly premise but still very much enjoyed it.
Originally Posted by Pootmatoot:
“Reading through this thread, I suspect a lot of the notes on the production crew's desk on Monday will be "Don't write episodes with a clever last minute twist that requires an intentionally convoluted and mis-mashed narrative up until that point, because most of the audience won't play along and will just start gibbering bile"...
It wasn't the most spectacular episode in the world, but I think the final conceit is pretty clever for a 7pm mass-market show: that we've just watched propaganda hacked together from random footage - and not necessarily anything at all to do with "real events" - by a "director" creating a film with a traditional rollercoaster of dramatic moments and plot twists in order to keep the audience - you - watching.
It's all very meta-Dr Who really, about the nature of making TV shows.”
“Reading through this thread, I suspect a lot of the notes on the production crew's desk on Monday will be "Don't write episodes with a clever last minute twist that requires an intentionally convoluted and mis-mashed narrative up until that point, because most of the audience won't play along and will just start gibbering bile"...
It wasn't the most spectacular episode in the world, but I think the final conceit is pretty clever for a 7pm mass-market show: that we've just watched propaganda hacked together from random footage - and not necessarily anything at all to do with "real events" - by a "director" creating a film with a traditional rollercoaster of dramatic moments and plot twists in order to keep the audience - you - watching.
It's all very meta-Dr Who really, about the nature of making TV shows.”
I agree that this is a clever/interesting idea for DW to do, and I applaud Gatiss/PTB for trying something different with this episode...
It never felt to me though that we were missing any events, rather it played out as the bad guy wanted and the Doctor didn't figure out he was getting played, which again is really cool thing to see...
There's much to this episode I admire and liked but the sleep dust monsters drag the episode down as for me they took me out of the episode as I was trying to go with it as the episode went on but I just couldn't, it past that line where I go no that's not a concept I can get on board with, its too (for the lack of a better word) silly, and I like silly just not Moon egg silly which this felt like.
Originally Posted by The_Judge_:
“I thought it was pretty good If I follow the logic through in my head - that episode actually didn't even happen - every bit of it was just a story made by the professor to entertain us while we "watch" his video and fall into his death trap.
There is a sense of irony actually that some people criticised this episode so early on in watching it and turned off. The irony being that this is the exact reason why the professors plan didn't work because ...
The professor made a video with hidden signals and in order to make his signals work he created an "entertaining story" to hook viewers into watching his video broadcast long enough to receive his hidden signals. However, his plan clearly didn't work, well do you see the irony- it's because whoever got the video - well they turned off after less than five minutes LOL - hahaha ! Maybe it's a dig at youtube bloggers who rant for nothing ...
So in reality, neither the Doctor or Jenna were there, there was no rescue team, no sandmen, it as all a made up story - hence next episode has absolutely nothing to do with it. I've rarely like many of Gatiss' episodes before - this was not bad, kinda clever
Oh - clearly the theme this series is all about creatures in coffins”
“I thought it was pretty good
If I follow the logic through in my head - that episode actually didn't even happen - every bit of it was just a story made by the professor to entertain us while we "watch" his video and fall into his death trap.There is a sense of irony actually that some people criticised this episode so early on in watching it and turned off. The irony being that this is the exact reason why the professors plan didn't work because ...
The professor made a video with hidden signals and in order to make his signals work he created an "entertaining story" to hook viewers into watching his video broadcast long enough to receive his hidden signals. However, his plan clearly didn't work, well do you see the irony- it's because whoever got the video - well they turned off after less than five minutes LOL - hahaha ! Maybe it's a dig at youtube bloggers who rant for nothing ...
So in reality, neither the Doctor or Jenna were there, there was no rescue team, no sandmen, it as all a made up story - hence next episode has absolutely nothing to do with it. I've rarely like many of Gatiss' episodes before - this was not bad, kinda clever
Oh - clearly the theme this series is all about creatures in coffins
”
Maybe I got this wrong, but the events did happen, how else would he know about and have footage of the doctor and clara, he just manipulated situations to create a story on video that will keep people interested in watching so they can get infected, as it took time. The Doctor failed to understand what was really going on and only towards the end realised something wasn't right, he and the others had been played and helped create a video that the sleep dust monsters could use to infect other people who will pick up the sent footage and be intrigued by it, pass it on and so forth.
Originally Posted by The_Judge_:
“I thought it was pretty good If I follow the logic through in my head - that episode actually didn't even happen - every bit of it was just a story made by the professor to entertain us while we "watch" his video and fall into his death trap.
There is a sense of irony actually that some people criticised this episode so early on in watching it and turned off. The irony being that this is the exact reason why the professors plan didn't work because ...
The professor made a video with hidden signals and in order to make his signals work he created an "entertaining story" to hook viewers into watching his video broadcast long enough to receive his hidden signals. However, his plan clearly didn't work, well do you see the irony- it's because whoever got the video - well they turned off after less than five minutes LOL - hahaha ! Maybe it's a dig at youtube bloggers who rant for nothing ...
So in reality, neither the Doctor or Jenna were there, there was no rescue team, no sandmen, it as all a made up story - hence next episode has absolutely nothing to do with it. I've rarely like many of Gatiss' episodes before - this was not bad, kinda clever
Oh - clearly the theme this series is all about creatures in coffins”
“I thought it was pretty good
If I follow the logic through in my head - that episode actually didn't even happen - every bit of it was just a story made by the professor to entertain us while we "watch" his video and fall into his death trap.There is a sense of irony actually that some people criticised this episode so early on in watching it and turned off. The irony being that this is the exact reason why the professors plan didn't work because ...
The professor made a video with hidden signals and in order to make his signals work he created an "entertaining story" to hook viewers into watching his video broadcast long enough to receive his hidden signals. However, his plan clearly didn't work, well do you see the irony- it's because whoever got the video - well they turned off after less than five minutes LOL - hahaha ! Maybe it's a dig at youtube bloggers who rant for nothing ...
So in reality, neither the Doctor or Jenna were there, there was no rescue team, no sandmen, it as all a made up story - hence next episode has absolutely nothing to do with it. I've rarely like many of Gatiss' episodes before - this was not bad, kinda clever
Oh - clearly the theme this series is all about creatures in coffins
”
If that was made clear this would've been something clever and completely different (they could've just named the whole thing sleep no more instead of Doctor who or make Clara or the doctor's personality completely different to what we're used to) with that being said this episode had nothing to do with doctor who since it didn't happen, how are we supposed to rate it?
Originally Posted by PaperSkin:
“Maybe I got this wrong, but the events did happen, how else would he know about and have footage of the doctor and clara, he just manipulated situations to create a story on video that will keep people interested in watching so they can get infected, as it took time. The Doctor failed to understand what was really going on and only towards the end realised something wasn't right, he and the others had been played and helped create a video that the sleep dust monsters could use to infect other people who will pick up the sent footage and be intrigued by it, pass it on and so forth.”
“Maybe I got this wrong, but the events did happen, how else would he know about and have footage of the doctor and clara, he just manipulated situations to create a story on video that will keep people interested in watching so they can get infected, as it took time. The Doctor failed to understand what was really going on and only towards the end realised something wasn't right, he and the others had been played and helped create a video that the sleep dust monsters could use to infect other people who will pick up the sent footage and be intrigued by it, pass it on and so forth.”
He also edited the footage together, and it wasn't in real time.
Who knows what else could have happened or over how long: we only saw bits he thought would create an exciting and interesting story (a chunk of the DS audience clearly didn't agree with his choices!).
It's not so much that "things were missing", just that we have no idea what the things we saw were edited from to make a story.
(ie I don't agree with the poster saying that it didn't happen at all... I don't think the episode supports that reading... but that "story" we saw might not have happened, as it was 45 minutes out of maybe days...or weeks... and maybe not even in order... with massive vital events missing... we don't know)
EDIT: As in Big Brother Live Feed vs an Episode debate.... the whole "story" can be easily twisted to entertainment and not "truth".
There has to be a link yet again Clara gets all enclosed in almost a "coffin" with wires attached?
Thinking on the lines when Amy kept seeing Madame Kovarian
Thinking on the lines when Amy kept seeing Madame Kovarian
Originally Posted by oathy:
“There has to be a link yet again Clara gets all enclosed in almost a "coffin" with wires attached?
Thinking on the lines when Amy kept seeing Madame Kovarian”
“There has to be a link yet again Clara gets all enclosed in almost a "coffin" with wires attached?
Thinking on the lines when Amy kept seeing Madame Kovarian”
How many have we had now? Tonight, in the clone pod last week. Any more?
Originally Posted by Kane_Smith:
“I had personal things to sort out hence the lack of activity.”
“I had personal things to sort out hence the lack of activity.”
Are you still talking?
Yes, so basically Shearsmith's character created a movie where the actors didn't know they were starring in the movie. The Doctor shows up to save the day, and is presented with a convincing and staged dilemma which he tries his best to resolve.
He leaves not having made any real sense of it. We then find out as viewers that all of this was staged, the Doctor and Clara were just pawns in his game and the video he's pieced together is a piece of entertainment that draws viewers in, and makes them victims of his plan.
Elements of mystery - we don't know if the Doctor ever went back for him, apprehended him, stopped the distribution of this video, or indeed ever made sense of it all for himself.
- So yes it completely happened.
- Yes there was a genuine threat.
- No we didn't get 100% resolution.
- No we didn't see the whole picture.
As an episode idea it's fairly novel, the problem is we're presented with a scenario involving a deliberately by-the-numbers story for 40 minutes that's all in service of a twist that lasts just two. For that to work it needs engaging characters and it need to look interesting - it's less effective when done on a budget, with a script of limited scope, and put in the most filler-esque episode slot of the series.
He leaves not having made any real sense of it. We then find out as viewers that all of this was staged, the Doctor and Clara were just pawns in his game and the video he's pieced together is a piece of entertainment that draws viewers in, and makes them victims of his plan.
Elements of mystery - we don't know if the Doctor ever went back for him, apprehended him, stopped the distribution of this video, or indeed ever made sense of it all for himself.
- So yes it completely happened.
- Yes there was a genuine threat.
- No we didn't get 100% resolution.
- No we didn't see the whole picture.
As an episode idea it's fairly novel, the problem is we're presented with a scenario involving a deliberately by-the-numbers story for 40 minutes that's all in service of a twist that lasts just two. For that to work it needs engaging characters and it need to look interesting - it's less effective when done on a budget, with a script of limited scope, and put in the most filler-esque episode slot of the series.
Originally Posted by eggshell:
“I liked that end concept but it all came in the last two minutes of the show..the rest was a tensionless bore-fest for me.”
“I liked that end concept but it all came in the last two minutes of the show..the rest was a tensionless bore-fest for me.”
It was different in many ways. The tension was there all over the characters in the way they were interacting with each other. It was different to any regular episode. I'm prepared to give this one another chance but as i say, i wasn't gripped on first viewing.
14 of 23
