Originally Posted by Tom Tit:
“Is it a fair summation of what you're saying that Moffat's writing simply is not as populist as RTD's? It's a little more literary in its construction than dramatic maybe?
One example of that is Moffat's tendency for non-literal reveals or twists. The hybrid was... something quite abstract, metaphorical even. To people not following on that level it is interpreted as something that had no resolution and left them unsatisfied. In a novel a non-literal pay-off like this would be seen as totally satisfying (assuming it was done skillfully of course); in a popular TV show the audience maybe has different expectations.
Similarly the discovery of Gallifrey was seen as underwhelming by some, not given enough importance. Irrelevant even. But in fact, it had a huge relevance, just not a dramatic relevance. The relevance was emotional. Despite all the time the Doctor spent looking for Gallifrey it ultimately proved far less important to him than his love (a taboo word I'm going to create a thread about) for Clara. It did almost become inconsequential to him. But that speaks to the depth of feeling the Doctor had for Clara, his grief for whom was what the episode was actually about. It goes back a little to what I said in the post above; people expected a story about Gallifrey, but it was a story about grief and loss. Gallifrey was used as a tool to express that theme. Those that say 'nothing happened' again mean the things they wanted to happen didn't happen. Their expectation was for action and adventure: drama, spectacle. But the story presented an inner drama instead, a lot happened to the characters emotionally. A lot of people just weren't set for that kind of story because they have habitual expectations of a finale.
Those people who say Moffat's Doctor Who is too intellectual and lacks the emotional heart of RTD's Doctor Who should have loved this episode. It was 100% about emotion.
The more I think of the episode the more highly I regard it. Moffat really has been taking Doctor Who out of the box the last couple of seasons, at least with the episodes he has written.”
Indeed. He's ended the partnership with a decent reason - although he's raised the question of when a companion is disposable and when not . He's avoided just losng a companion by misadventure - which would undermine all future relationships - as no one would invest in companions if they could fall under a bus, or get hit by a bird, any episode.
He's also finished off Ashildr's story - which, actually, was a very big one needing resolution.You can't create an immortal being, and bring in a major actress, and then just forget about it - it has consequences. He's allowed Ashildr to grow, and finally become smarter, and more experienced than the doctor, and he's effectively left her to look after Clara, while giving her a companion, and solving her own problem.He's even gifted her the Tardis she always wanted. And people seem to have missed that he had two motives not to tell, in the confession dial - one to get back to where he could try and save Clara, and also to protect Ashildr w- ho he thought was the hybrid - and who would have been eliminated if he had named her. He's got a duty of care to two people, and by the end, the Doctor has met it to both.
and if you don't like her she lives 
"
