Doctor Who Series Preview

[Aeva]

I actually thought the jumpsuit added a nice touch of continuity.

Anyway, I definitely agree with you, MS, about Clara. She is fabulous.

[Sparrow]

Okay, I gotta say 'Hide' is, so far, my favorite episode of this half of the series. Clara is really starting to come into her own, now that we seem to have gotten through all the introduction-to-the-new-companion episodes. I don't think anyone will ever replace Donna as my favorite companion, but Jenna-Louise Coleman is doing a nice job as Clara.

I did have a couple observations/questions about the episode, though.

1. How on earth does Clara know how to fly the TARDIS, and into a bubble universe no less? That seems like it would be extremely complicated. Or was it all the TARDIS, and Clara wasn't actually doing anything?
2. Is anybody else getting some Amy flashbacks here? The whole thing where the Doctor admits that he didn't actually come to the old house about the ghost, but to try to find answers about Clara, is awfully similar to the Ganger storyline in series six. Frankly, it's a storyline I'd rather not go through again. Plot-lines that are mostly concerned with the Doctor's companion and "Aaagh mine companion you are so bizarre and I cannot figure you out" are usually not my favorites. I'd rather they just go and have some adventures!
3. The Doctor's callousness. When Emma Grayling asks if the portal-opening device (or whatever it was) will hurt, the Doctor says at first that it won't, and then admits that it could quite possibly be excruciating. The off-hand, rather uncaring manner in which he said this seemed very out of character. And when he and Clara exchanged a high-five after they returned, when Emma is still sobbing from pain? Uhm...no.
4. The space suit. I'm torn between thinking, "Oh, continuity, that's nice" and wondering why he had to steal one of Tennant's outfits. >.>

[Knight Fisher]

I don't think anyone will ever replace Donna as my favorite companion, but Jenna-Louise Coleman is doing a nice job as Clara.

This.

The closest I've come to being freaked out by Doctor Who was Silence in the Library. That rather failed when it got interrupted by a thunderstorm. This one came slightly close.

[Termite]

SO. Since I haven't seen the last two episodes yet, I'm digressing.

The God Complex.

The Doctor's room.

The TARDIS was leaving him.

[Amethystic]

Well, in response to that:

Or the world was ending, the TARDIS was dying, and he was about to meet his own demise? Also, really dear, you must catch up quickly!

[Whitty Whit]

So I finally(!) watched the episodes I haven't seen as of yet. Here are my condensed reviews on them. Read at your leisure.

The Angels Take Manhattan:

Eh, it was alright. I liked the Weeping Angels as an intriguing race, but not to be used willy nilly as a plot device. I liked the fact that the Doctor still cares for River. Amy and Rory go away. But, perhaps it's for the best.

SPECIAL; The Snowmen:

For a special, it was really good and exciting. I thought the Victorian era setting was a good choice. Strax was so funny!

The Bells of Saint John:

LOL @ the bells being the TARDIS phone. That made me laugh. I loved the premise of the "human data cloud", but not quite sure they portrayed that in such a "correct" way. I mean, in my mind, they wouldn't all be saying "i don't know where i am". That phrase was abused, imo.

The Rings of Akhaten:

Eeeehh. I just wanted to sit up straight and cringe at the stupidity of this one. I didn't really get why this was an episode worthy plot. Plus it had pardon me, but this is my opinion.the Doctor telling this girl how the universe formed millions of years ago, and I don't agree with that. The whole episode was stupid.

Cold War:

6.9/9.4 Wasn't a great episode, was just a tad bit above average. I'm impressed how they could make an entire episode in just a small place such as a submarine set. We now know what the Ice Warriors are/look like. (reference: The Waters of Mars) But the ending was anti-climactic. The ending was a slight let down, in regards to how the Doctor got the General to leave. I don't think that in the 1st rebooted season that would've happened the way it did, but, whatever. I don't write the shows.

Hide:

4.8/9.1 A little less than average. It was kind of interesting how they changed the whole ghost-scary-bad-gonna-eat-you-in-your-sleep aspect to a "love story", but the again, like in Cold War, the ending was anti-climactic. Refer to closing paragraph..

I was thinking about this the other day as to why I like Doctor Who. I mean, the characters are okay, the acting's great. But recently, I think I've fallen out of touch with the show just slightly. It's like I blinked and I got zapped and my enjoyment of the show moved down a few notches. I know in The Angels Take Manhattan,

it doesn't necessarily end well, depending on how you like the Williams/Ponds as companions.

but it just seems like it's way too happy go lucky. I used to like this show because sometimes, the Doctor didn't always win. He won some, and lost some. *The episodes sometimes ended on a somber note leaving me wondering "what's gonna happen." I think that goes back to me saying the continuity isn't all that great anymore. It's more episodical, rather than making a long story strewn over multiple episodes as in the first rebooted season.* But maybe the writers are trying to lull me into that sense, I dunno. But, I suppose we'll wait and see.

Edited: Added text in asterisks, fixed grammatical errors.

[Shennifer]

I agree with you, Whitty; it sometimes seems too happy and not serious enough. In the past, it was able to more effectively balance the two.

But I gotta say, this latest episode quite impressed me

The Doctor going back and throwing the grenade like device himself was an unexpected twist. Also, I liked the conversation between the Doctor and Clara about the Tardis. And I loved when Clara was in the library and exploring, even as she was hiding from the creatures. Her finding the book of the History of the Time War; I really want to read that and find out what it says.
The moment when the Doctor asked Clara who she was, and mentioning all the times he's met her and she's died was probably my favorite moment. It was a moment of frustration for him, and for her it was a scary moment because she didn't know what he was talking about. I'm very curious about her and about the future.

[Aeva]

I loooved "Journey to the Center of the TARDIS."

When it started, my first reaction was, "Wha--? O.o Where the heck is this going?" The entire feeling of the episode changed for me when The Doctor said that the salvage of a lifetime was Clara, not the TARDIS as the junkies (pun intended) believed. Every shot of different rooms in the TARDIS was fantastic, although I'm still not sure what the very first room Clara entered was. I could swear I saw The Doctor's cradle, so I thought it might be part of his room, but I'm not sure. Regardless, it was fabulous. I loved the library, and I nearly jumped out of my seat when Clara flipped through The History of the Time War and said, "Oh, so that's who." EEEK. Unfortunately I was watching the re-play (which airs at 11pm my time) so I had to be quiet, or I would have spastically squealed at that moment and when I saw the pool. THE TARDIS REALLY HAS A SWIMMING POOL. The room with the circuits reminded me a bit of Avatar and was totally awesome. The ending topped it all off, though. I was reminded of Indiana Jones's leap of faith, and it was was simply brilliant. Everything considered, this is my favorite episode so far of this season.

[Knight Fisher]

Erm, it was a good episode I guess. However, question. Why are the future mutilated versions of themselves trying to kill the present versions?

[Petrichor]

Hrmm. Rather mixed feelings on this episode, plus an extra helping of confusion on the side.

Not even sure how those things were Clara, or how they came to be (and they've obviously been around for a while, because the Doctor knew what they were), or what the whole thing at the end was about. "Hey, we can't touch each other or time will start again, and we can't have that!" ...say what? Need. real. explanations! >.< "Timey-wimey, spacey-wacey, great big, vast, complicated, tangled up and a wonderful beautiful mess of a universe" explanations don't really cut it. Hey, we're a smart fandom. Put the sci back in sci-fi, Moffat, 'cuz right now it's pretty much just... fi.
Ya know, I liked this episode, I really did. I loved getting to look around the TARDIS some more, and I think I squealed out loud at sight of that gorgeous swimming pool. I'm liking Clara more and more with each episode. It's shades of Donna and Ten, without feeling like my favorite Doctor/Companion duo is getting ripped off. Jenna-Louise Coleman is just so stinkin' cute it's hard not to like her and the Doctor together. I get the warm fuzzies every time I see them.
But, as much as I loved Clara in this episode... Doctor, what are you doing to me? >.< It's hard to put my finger on, but he just seems so callous anymore. He doesn't care, and he doesn't give a choice. I know, I know, he only tricked them into thinking the TARDIS was going to self-destruct, but they were trapped inside, with no choice about what they were going to do. I hope this is going to be some kind of plot point that's addressed in the finale, because he sort of did the same thing to Solomon in Dinos, and it's just not my Doctor. *sigh* I miss the man who never would.

[Aeva]

Erm, it was a good episode I guess. However, question. Why are the future mutilated versions of themselves trying to kill the present versions?

Maybe because burning alive is agonizing? Maybe the future versions thought they could prevent that painful future by killing off their present versions.

Hrmm. Rather mixed feelings on this episode, plus an extra helping of confusion on the side.

Not even sure how those things were Clara, or how they came to be (and they've obviously been around for a while, because the Doctor knew what they were), or what the whole thing at the end was about. "Hey, we can't touch each other or time will start again, and we can't have that!" ...say what? Need. real. explanations! >.< "Timey-wimey, spacey-wacey, great big, vast, complicated, tangled up and a wonderful beautiful mess of a universe" explanations don't really cut it. Hey, we're a smart fandom. Put the sci back in sci-fi, Moffat, 'cuz right now it's pretty much just... fi.
Ya know, I liked this episode, I really did. I loved getting to look around the TARDIS some more, and I think I squealed out loud at sight of that gorgeous swimming pool. I'm liking Clara more and more with each episode. It's shades of Donna and Ten, without feeling like my favorite Doctor/Companion duo is getting ripped off. Jenna-Louise Coleman is just so stinkin' cute it's hard not to like her and the Doctor together. I get the warm fuzzies every time I see them.
But, as much as I loved Clara in this episode... Doctor, what are you doing to me? >.< It's hard to put my finger on, but he just seems so callous anymore. He doesn't care, and he doesn't give a choice. I know, I know, he only tricked them into thinking the TARDIS was going to self-destruct, but they were trapped inside, with no choice about what they were going to do. I hope this is going to be some kind of plot point that's addressed in the finale, because he sort of did the same thing to Solomon in Dinos, and it's just not my Doctor. *sigh* I miss the man who never would.

I may be able to shed a little light for you, or at least I'll try lol.

The zombie things were Clara's and the salvagers' future selves because they were supposed to burn in the TARDIS engine room, and I think The Doctor knew what they were because he knew that time was bleeding and showing glimpses of the past and future. As to the end, I think that was along the lines of the episode "The Wedding of River Song." Clara and the salvagers (don't know if that's an actual word lol) were meant to burn in the engine room, but The Doctor decided to change that future in the same way that River changed the future when she refused to kill him on the beach. When she and he touched, time reverted back to the way it was supposed to be. That's why they couldn't touch each other in "Journey...", because touching made the timeline revert back to what it had been. So when the brothers touched, they negated the altered future and both burned.

Now, as to The Doctor seeming callous, I actually like this. I like to see his dark side come out because I think it shows his complexities.... Yeah, I just really like conflicted characters; maybe this is why I've been strongly attracted to conflicted villains lately.

[Termite]

So I FINALLY caught up with my mini marathon of three episodes. I enjoyed Hide, and how Clara isn't another alpha female. That is definitely a character boost; she's actually scared and actually thinking before she dives headfirst into something.

Journey... was probably one of my favorites. I was on the edge of my seat in awe at the pretty TARDIS. ^_^

The Crimson Horror... good old Who. ^_^

[Shennifer]

I thought it was interesting how we don't see the Doctor until about 14 minutes in. Twas cool to see our modern Clara back in the past, in Great Britain.

The Doctor being temporarily poisoned rather scared me, but fortunately he got better. Twas good to see Strax, Madam Vestra and Jenny again
Anyway, I liked this episode overall.
And I loved how the kids Clara babysits found out she's a time traveler! and they come with her on the next trip with the Doctor nice twist.
Oh, and I would've loved to see modern Clara meet the past Clara, the one from the Christmas special

[Blitz]

The Doctor being temporarily poisoned rather scared me, but fortunately he got better. Twas good to see Strax, Madam Vestra and Jenny again
Anyway, I liked this episode overall.
And I loved how the kids Clara babysits found out she's a time traveler! and they come with her on the next trip with the Doctor nice twist.
Oh, and I would've loved to see modern Clara meet the past Clara, the one from the Christmas special

It would have been a time paradox and I bet a major one.

[Shennifer]

The Doctor being temporarily poisoned rather scared me, but fortunately he got better. Twas good to see Strax, Madam Vestra and Jenny again
Anyway, I liked this episode overall.
And I loved how the kids Clara babysits found out she's a time traveler! and they come with her on the next trip with the Doctor nice twist.
Oh, and I would've loved to see modern Clara meet the past Clara, the one from the Christmas special

It would have been a time paradox and I bet a major one.

eh....Eleven doesn't seem to care as much about paradoxes as the other two before him

[Aeva]

Sooo, new episode.

I really enjoyed "Nightmare in Silver." I think the upgrades to the cybermen were excellent, and the children were quite adorable. But as seems to happen a lot, Matt Smith stole the show with his split personality; his interaction with himself was absolutely flawless. Those scenes are definitely going on my list of favorite scenes. The scene where he (or rather, the cyberman in his brain) starts telling Clara he has feelings for her was also hilariously brilliant. I love to see the Doctor get slapped.

[Whitty Whit]

I watched Journey to the Centre of the Tardis a couple of day ago:

Imagine, if you will, me staring at the monitor with an expressionless expression on my face after watching this episode. It was alright. It had some good parts like Clara reading the book in the library, and the center of the Tardis was pretty cool. I didn't like the whole ossified creatures being themselves in the future. It was kind of lame. But... whatever. Overall: 5.9/9.5

[ric]

[Shennifer]

Pretty good episode, even if my tired brain couldn't pick up all the details of why there were so many Cybermen.

The split personality of the Cyber-Doctor and the real Doctor was really interesting to see; I especially liked when the Doctor's emotions started affecting the Cyber side. The kids (particularly the girl) was a bit of brat at first, but they were both cute and overall fine one time companions. The Emperor's proposal to Clara was adorable, and even though I'm glad she said no I still felt a bit sorry for him.

Next week looks pretty interesting; the Doctor will apparently cross his own timeline

Edit:

Oh, and I'd like to thank the Eleventh Doctor for saying "Allonsy"

[The Kings Daughter]

Pretty good episode, even if my tired brain couldn't pick up all the details of why there were so many Cybermen.

The split personality of the Cyber-Doctor and the real Doctor was really interesting to see; I especially liked when the Doctor's emotions started affecting the Cyber side. The kids (particularly the girl) was a bit of brat at first, but they were both cute and overall fine one time companions. The Emperor's proposal to Clara was adorable, and even though I'm glad she said no I still felt a bit sorry for him.

Next week looks pretty interesting; the Doctor will apparently cross his own timeline

Edit:

Oh, and I'd like to thank the Eleventh Doctor for saying "Allonsy"

Yes it was brilliant, and and yes it was adorable.

Next week we find out the answers to everything, so I think the least we can do is spend a week speculating. Why did the TARDIS explode in the big bang? Why can the Doctor never say his name? How is it that Clara always shows up with a nanny job and the same words? Who is Clara? I've heard the Doctor and River's child, River's regeneration (somehow she got more..) Ack. Anymore questions?

The man in the top hat with the Whispermen in the next episode? He's Mr. Cole from 'The Next Doctor'. And we did just see the Cybermen.
And in the trailer Clara says, "I was born to save the Doctor". And it shows her in different places in different outfits. So she's echoing throughout time and space. Parallel occasions? Intro for Tennant and Piper's return in the 50th?

Edit: Strike Mr. Cole from it. His face is too short.
Doctor Who and Victorian times..