Into the Dalek

The Doctor's deadliest foes (and my personal fave), the Daleks, make their return this week in Into the Dalek.

Finding himself on a spacecraft floating through the asteroid belt, the Doctor is enlisted to help save another passenger - a malfunctioning Dalek.

After a quick, thankfully under-explained miniaturisation process, the Doctor, Clara and three of the spacecraft's soldiers are go through the eyestalk, into the Dalek. We've seen what is inside a Dalek's shell before but never to this detail. And as it turns out, the inside of a Dalek is just as dangerous as its outside, with robotic antibodies just waiting to dissolve anything that doesn't belong into fuel.

For once, the focus wasn't some complicated Moffat exploit. It stuck to one question: Is the Doctor a good man? Its a question the Doctor needs to ask himself, and ask it often.  With a good Dalek and a morally ambiguous Doctor, the role reversal was a great way to explore this question. It's alway great to see the Doctor realise he is not perfect and it really opened up the episode for Capaldi to show off his acting chops. In the final, and most powerful scene, the Doctor practically begs the Dalek to see the good in him.

It's easy to see where the episode took its inspiration from. Season one's Dalek has Nine facing off against a lone, prisoner Dalek who also makes the Doctor realise that he is just as capable of blind hate. In that episode, the Dalek tells the Doctor "you would make a good Dalek" and the same idea rings through much of this episode.

Clara also finally has a useful role! All throughout New Who, the companion is supposed to act a somewhat of a moral compass to guide the Doctor. Clara hasn't ever fulfilled this position until now. The Doctor-companion (or carer, as Clara calls herself) dynamic finally comes into play again and it was so good to see. She is finally that human balance to the Doctor's sometimes alien ways.  I actually almost like her!

Religious references continued into this episode, from the Doctor commenting on the Dalek's soul to the Dalek itself seeing the divinity in the beauty of the universe. The religious undertone is likely to continue and probably has something to do with Missy but I'd actually like it to lead to a realisation that his previous incarnation all too often played god when it was not his place to do so (maybe?).

Into the Dalek also introduced a new series regular - teacher and ex-solider, Danny Pink (Samuel Anderson). A new love interest for Clara, Danny also has secrets of his own. It is implied that he has killed people and not only other soldiers. He was the perfect mix of mysterious and adorably awkward. And I'd be lying if I didn't say he is fine as hell.  I can't wait to see more of him.

Sadly, however, Missy was back in this episode, welcoming one of the soldiers to 'heaven'.  It's disappointing that Moffat keeps creating these godlike female characters because it didn't work with River and it probably won't work with Missy. Also, are we going to get the same scene every week? With only 12 episodes, we're not like to forget her. It's the crack in the wall business all over again.

That said and despite the fact it was basically a remake of Dalek, this week's episode was surprisingly good. It had a great mix of fun, adventure-y scenes and more serious, character development-y ones. Capaldi got to delve into the character of his Doctor and Clara was finally a useful character. 8/10!

Fave Quotes

- "Am I a good man?"

- "She cares, so I don't have to"

References to old episodes

- The whole episode was one giant Dalek remake.
- Did I see season five's crack in the wall make an appearance? The crack in the Dalek sure did look like it!

Anything else that I missed? I haven't seen Classic Who so I'm sure there's some!

I just got really passionate about RTD's era all of a sudden...

I just realised that when it comes to Moffat’s Doctor Who, there haven’t been very many stories that stay with me. From seasons 5-7, I can honestly say there have been two episodes that stuck: Vincent and the Doctor and The Lodger. I have not had any desire to go back and watch any of the other episodes. In fact, I can’t even remember most of them.

Compare that to the Davies’ era and sure they didn’t have half the cool effects or big explosions but man, they had heart. They had adventure and not just characters running around aimlessly followed by yet another big explosion. There were real, human moments with real human people, and it showed best when it was contrasted with this suddenly completely alien being.

Then lets compare Rose to Amy. Rose lost her father, Amy both her parents. Suddenly they have this opportunity to go back and see them again. Of course they would want to. Of course. Yet Amy never mentions her parents. Same with Clara. There was that one weird moment with the leaf but we were too busy having this “impossible girl” problem shoved down our throats for it to matter. Who cares that she is an actual person when she can just be another problem to solve.

I miss the good guys sometimes dying because that’s just what happens. Very few of the good guys ever die in Moffat’s series. Magically the Doctor can just fix everything. But real life doesn’t have a reset button.

And funnily enough it’s Moffat’s episodes in Davies’ time as showrunner that stand out the most. Even just thinking about Nine saying “just this once, everybody lives” is making me happy.

I’m not saying that Davies’ era was perfect. (I mean, the Slitheen? Just..so bad) but there was something to them that made me want to keep watching. And not to relish in finding the plot holes or criticising Moffat’s lack of subtlety but because i thoroughly enjoyed them. Even the less than fantastic ones.


Side note: review of Deep Breath to come tomorrow!

Nightmare in Silver

Neil Gaiman last wrote for show back in season 6 with The Doctor's Wife, a clever and interesting story where the Doctor finally gets to talk to his beloved TARDIS. However, his return to Doctor Who was rather underwhelming.

Nightmare in Silver sees the Doctor, Clara and the children she babysits (Angie and Artie) on what should have been a crazy fun adventure for the kids. However, disappointment and annoying children soon ensue when the promise of the biggest theme park in the universe basically turns out to be a pile of scrap metal - rides abandoned and in a complete state of disrepair.

They first meet Mr Webley who used to run the World of Wonders. Among his wax figures and statues is a 'magical' chess-playing Cyberman - who turns out to be controlled by Porridge (Warwick Davis). After the slow start, things start to get interesting when we first glimpse the little cybermites, the upgraded version of the cybermat. Cyber technology upgrades are the basis of this episode. When some 3 million Cybermen attack the poorly defended planet, even their most advanced weapons (which totalled an entire six) quickly became obsolete. Apparently their technology has advanced so much since we last saw them that they can be upgraded instantly. Their intelligence seems to have been upgraded too. Once they were the ultimate soldier, advancing on their enemy with no fear of death. Now they're laying traps and looking for more creative, intelligent people to further their advancement.

This doesn't go down too well for the Doctor. His Timelord intelligence was of course an attraction for the Cybermen, who began the upgrading process on the Doctor. He wasn't going to give up that easily, however, and the long, internal battle for the control of the Doctor's mind begins. Matt Smith really seems to get better and better each week. He switched between the two character's with such perfection and ease, making it by far the best and most captivating part of the episode.

Clara also had quite a good role this week, though I still don't find her all that amazing. She took control of the punishment platoon quite well and I think we finally got to see what she can do. To be honest, though, I think she is still quite one-dimensional. And seriously, can we not start a whole other love story for the Doctor PLEASE? With Rose, it was great. Even Martha's unrequited love was interesting and I think she was all the more strong for it. River has annoyed the crap out of me since forever and there was always some flirting with the Doctor and Amy. So can the Doctor and Clara just be friends, is it really that hard? /endrant

Oh wait, I forgot to mention how annoying and pointless Angie and Artie were. Thank god they were kinda just left to the side for most of the episode. /actualendrant

The episode also raised some good future plots, most notably the Doctor-sized hole in history. Not such a subtle way of erasing yourself was it, Doctor? I hope that is actually explored though. Not just casually mentioned later on as being 'fixed' or just completely solved with a push of a button, which seems to be the trend lately. Even Nightmare in Silver was solved with a quick teleportation away from the exploding planet. Oh how I want a suspenseful two-part episode with a complex/exciting ending. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments :D

The Crimson Horror

Mark Gatiss latest contribution to the season, The Crimson Horror, is one of those fantastic action adventures. Jenny, Madame Vastra and Strax are back this week, continuing their escapades in Victorian England. (These three really need their own show) Terrifying people by preaching about the apocalypse, the episode's villain Mrs Gillyflower invites those who want to survive to live in 'Sweetville', a new town which looked remarkably similar to Willy Wonka's factory. Those who Mrs Gillyflower deems acceptable are paralysed and set up as a display in one of the town's houses. Everyone else is subjected to the crimson horror, a red poison which paralyses, colours them bright red and then ultimately kills them.

I think The Crimson Horror may actually be the best episode of the second half of this season. Like Hide, Gatiss' episode mixes sci-fi and 'horror' quite well. With the Doctor and Clara mysteriously absent for a relatively large portion of the episode, Vastra, Jenny and Strax are left to find out what has caused the deaths of so many. When the Doctor finally appears, it is not in a way you would expect. As the only one to survive (just barely) the crimson horror, Mrs Gillyflower's daughter, Ada decides to rescue him, keeping him chained up as her 'monster'. Jenny, sent undercover into Sweetville, finds the Doctor bright red and half-paralysed in a cell. Armed with the sonic screwdriver and what I'm assuming is the antidote to the poison, the Doctor is quickly back to normal and desperate to find Clara.

Of course, this is an issue for Jenny. Clara is dead, isn't she? The Ice-Lady pushed her off a cloud! Poor Jenny, despite vigorous questioning at every chance, never finds out how she is still alive. And here we go into the season's story arc - the mystery that is Clara Oswald. At the end of the episode, the kids she nannies have uncovered pictures of her from all across time. One of which is the Victorian-era Clara from The Snowmen. Though Clara knows that it is not her, it may have sparked something of the information the Doctor told her in Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS before he erased that timeline.

I really liked Ada, the blind and mutilated daughter of Mrs Gillyflower. As the imperfection in her mother's perfect world, Ada cannot help but save the Doctor, who at that point was an equally disfigured "monster". Caught crying when she finds him missing, her mother tells her she has no place in her "Eden" and asks her to stop "clawing and slobbering" at her feet. However, Ada still remains loyal to her. But, some encouragement from the Doctor, her monster who returned to her, she leads them to her mother. When she finds out Mrs Gillyflower had experimented with the crimson horror on her, she quickly turns against her. 

It is here we find out about the crimson horror. In an odd reveal of Mrs Gillyflower's partner in crime 'Mr Sweet', she  rips off part of her dress to show a red leech attached to her chest. Apparently, in return for a home(?), the leech, aka Mr Sweet, excreted the 'crimson horror' which Mrs Gillyflower planned to use to basically destroy humanity. 

Strax was definitely a highlight. The out-of-place soldier has not lost his comedic value, always muttering about far simpler but much more violent ways to solve any problem. Strax seemed to be the centre of the jokes in this episode. The best one by far being Thomas Thomas. Strax, lost on his way to Sweetville and about to shoot his (fourth) horse for not knowing the way, was interrupted by a young Thomas, who did knew exactly where to go. The hilarious instructions were as follows:

Thomas: "Sweetville, sir?"
Strax: "Do you know it?"
Thomas: "Turn around when possible. Then, at the end of the road, turn right."
Strax: "What.."
Thomas: "Bear left for a quarter of a mile and you have reached your destination."

*Thomas sits on the cart next to Strax.*

Strax: "Thank you. What is your name?"
Thomas: "Thomas, sir. Thomas Thomas."

I think I'm going to be laughing at that for days.

One of the best parts of the episode was the retelling of how the Doctor and Clara ended up in Sweetville. It was done so brilliantly. A flashback, in the form of an old film - sepia, grainy and a bit bumpy, broke up the episode in such an awesome way. It looked fantastic, adding to the feel of Victorian England and quickly let us know what had gone on beforehand.

Overall, I really liked this episode. Though I don't know how much it adds to the overall story arc, it was still a great mix of action and comedy. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Hide

If, like me, you were one of the seemingly few people who actually enjoyed Neil Cross' last episode, The Rings of Akhaten, then you were probably looking forward to his latest adventure, Hide. That said, if you had seen the trailers for the episode you probably were just as excited...how cool did it look?!

And this episode definitely lived up to the promise of the trailer - though maybe not in the way you  would expect. The Doctor and Clara travel to the 1970s to a investigate the long-time residence of a ghost in an old-manor, Caliburn House. The Witch in the Well, as she had become known, had appeared in the exact same position since the 17th Century, always crying out for help. The Doctor is assisted by ex-spy, Alec and an empathic psychic Emma, who have been trying to help the "lost soul". Things take an unexpected turn when the Doctor discovers that the Witch in the Well is not actually a ghost but a woman, Hila, from the future, trapped in a pocket universe and trying to escape before it collapses on itself.

Caliburn House was a perfect setting for the spooky story. Lots of shadows and creepy things in the dark created a very eerie atmosphere for the story. The horror aspects of the episode were definitely helped by the interesting camera work, like the jump cuts and unevenly paced shots. It gave the feeling that there was something out there. 

Which, of course, there was. 'The Crooked Man' as the credits named him, chased Hila through the pocket-universe and another alien who was stuck in our universe, lurking in the old manor. However, these 'monsters', though rather scary looking, were not as malevolent as they appeared because at the heart of this 'horror' episode was an old fashioned love story. 

There was Alec and Emma, the awkward pair who had feelings for each other but refused to let the other know. There was the weird, gnarled creatures who only wanted to find their partner. And of course, the Doctor and Clara, though maybe not lovers, but definitely connected in some way. 

The parallels between the pairs (though maybe not the aliens) offered an insight into the Doctor and Clara's burgeoning relationship. The Doctor and Alec shared a scene where Alec talks about his time in the war, the people he watched die and the effect it has had on him. It poses the question of what this has done to the Doctor as well. Simultaneously, Clara who is later described by Emma as a "normal" girl, is warned by the psychic that the Doctor has a "sliver of ice" in his heart so she should be wary. 

As always, the chemistry between Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman works well in this episode. Their light-hearted portrayal of the friendship between the Doctor and Clara, however, was thrown into question when Clara realises just how frightening all of time and space can be. Why hasn't the Doctor realised by now that the end of Earth, billions of years into the future, isn't exactly what every human wants to see? Just like Rose in The End of the World, Clara is shaken to the core by the sight of the destroyed and devoid-of-life, Earth. However, as would be expected, the Doctor isn't bothered by it and this frightens Clara even further. As usual, the Doctor asserts his fascination with the human race and their significance by saying "you are the only mystery worth solving." This facet of the Doctor is certainly one of my favourites. I love his reactions to the peculiarity that is the human race. 

Overall this episode was a good mix of horror and sci-fi, with a little bit of romance thrown in too. I really enjoyed it and I think it may be the best on of the season. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Cold War

This week's episode brought back the Classic Who monster - the Ice Warriors. The last time the Doctor encountered these Martians was in The Monster of Peladon, with the Third Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith.

Cold War, written by Mark Gatiss, sees the Doctor and Clara accidentally travel to a sinking Russian submarine in the 80s. And on that ship is a newly discovered Ice Warrior - which the crew believe to be a mammoth frozen in a block of ice. Once it had escaped, nothing could stop its wrath. As usual, silly humans provoking the creature only makes it worse (when will we learn?!)

To be honest, I'm getting a little bored with the whole 'blockbuster' feel to these recent episodes. While I'm not denying that they are quite the cinematic piece, Doctor Who doesn't always have to be so big. 

That said, Cold War was a quiet a good episode, a bit of a step up from last week (though I still enjoyed it - Matt Smith does the best monologues!) A psychotic monster on the loose in a submarine with access to enough nukes to destroy not only Earth but a good portion of the universe, made for a suspenseful, exciting story.

The Grand Marshall Skaldac's (Skaldak?) escape from his armour and took to scampering around the ceiling, gave the episode a distinctively Alien feel. Seriously, the pale green fingers killing people from above was very much reminiscent of the Ridley Scott classic. 

Those fake rubbery fingers were rather odd though. The big reveal of the Ice Warrior's face at the end of the episode left me slightly confused.  I had expected something that looked a lot more like the Slitheen or even the Abzorbaloff. The two just didn't seem to match.

I think the Martian's madness was very much warranted. You would have lost it a bit too, if you had just discovered that you'd been frozen for 5,000 years. All your family are dead: "Now my daughter will be dussssssst" and you can't even be certain that you'll be rescued from this strange, foreign landscape by your people who may also all be dead.

However, his hesitation in killing the scientist fellow (I think it was Grisenko) and ultimately his hesitation in firing the missiles showed that he was not, in fact, a monster. Though he was definitely a threat, it's always nice to see aliens leaving almost peacefully.

The episode was also witty and funny - something I think the last two episodes were kind of lacking. Grisenko and Clara were hilarious:


Grisenko: “Tell me what happens.”
Clara: “I can’t.”
Grisenko: “Well I need to know!”
Clara: “I’m not allowed!”
Grisenko: “No, please!”
Clara: “I can’t!”
Grisenko: “Ultravox – do they split up?”


We also saw Clara learning more about the TARDIS, its translation matrix and its newly-fixed escape mechanism. However, I did see someone question how the translation matrix still magically worked with the TARDIS being somewhere at the South Pole...

Still immensely enjoying Clara as the companion. It was great seeing her question this crazy travelling with the Doctor but hopefully she'll be getting her own key soon because she can't be a full-time companion without one!

8/10

The Rings of Akhaten

I usually find Doctor Who to be of a hit or miss show. There have been some amazing episodes and some that are less than great. (I'm the biggest Doctor Who fan though, so I'll try and find a redeeming quality for every episode)

This week's episode, The Rings of Akhaten, fell somewhere in between.

The Doctor and his new companion Clara embark on the traditional second trip to somewhere vastly different to modern day London.

He takes her "somewhere awesome", that is, to see the Rings of Akhaten, which some believe to be the beginning of all life in the universe.

The planet had a Star Wars-esque vibe and we finally got to see new alien creatures (including one whose behaviour could only be described as dog-like)

The Rings of Akhaten was based around the importance of memories. Basically, the population of Akhaten has (as they have throughout their entire history) appointed a child who has to appease their "God" by singing or risk having their souls taken - souls, which the Doctor says, are made up of stories.

When Merry, the young child, errs in her singing and awakes the God, the Doctor steps in to save her because she is the only Merry and is just as important as everyone else. This is one of my favourite things about the Doctor and something that has always been consistent through the show. Modern Doctor Who anyway.

By far the best bit of the episode was the Doctor's monologue to the god. Damn, Matt Smith, that was some quality acting. Some people think that the whole "travelling alone for a thousand years" spiel has been overdone lately but I love it. I love knowing that beneath the childish exterior, the Doctor is a weary old man who has seen so much and is so alone. He has the world on his shoulders and so many people don't even realise.

Even with all this travelling, the Doctor's memories weren't enough to feed and ultimately kill their nebulous sun-god creature (I'm still not entirely sure what it was) It was the infinite possibilities that Clara's leaf represented that ultimately destroyed it.

And yay for character development! Clara isn't just some plot-driver, "the impossible girl" that the Doctor is obsessed with finding out about any more. We get to see her past in a somewhat cheesy (and a little bit creepy - thanks Doctor) opening scene. Her parents meet on a windy autumn day and if it weren't for that exact leaf existing, they wouldn't have met. Then we are told (because the Doctor has been basically stalking her) that her mum died when she was young - in March of 2005 as well, right around the time Nine was meeting Rose - and she has since postponed her dream of travelling to look after the Maitland children.

In The Rings of Akhaten, Clara proves herself to be companion worthy: adventurous, willing to be challenge and ready to leave her old life (at least for a while)

When she and the Doctor need a means of transport across the planet, she offers her mother's ring in exchange. She then sacrifices the "most important leaf in the world" to save Merry and the rest of the planet. Her willingness to do so shows how she wants to move and also how selfless she is (which I think was pretty obvious when she did not travel and instead babysat children who also lost their mother)

Again on the theme of the importance of memories, I found the 'currency' of Akhaten to be very interesting. The more sentimental value a person gives an object, the more it is worth in the market. It just emphasises how significant it is that Clara gave up her mother's ring for their ride.

Overall, I think the episode was better than The Bells of St John but maybe that's just because of the Doctor and Clara's monologues but that it could have been better throughout 7.5/10

50th Anniversary Shenanigans!

With the 50th anniversary special to begin filming next week, some more updates have been released!

bbcdoctorwho tweeted these pictures earlier today:

Matt Smith called the special "hilarious" and "epic", while paying homage to previous episodes and looking forward at the same time.

The special is set to air on November 23 in 3D. 

David and Billie Set To Return

Yes, you read that correctly. David Tennant and Billie Piper have been confirmed for the 50th anniversary special *cue fangirl squealing*

John Hurt (Ollivander - Harry Potter, Kilgharrah - Merlin) is also set to make an appearance.

However, with this news also comes the sad fact that John Barrowman will not be reprising his role as Captain Jack Harkness for the special.

Who do you want to return? Let me know!

The Bells of St John

There's something in the Wi-Fi...

The Bells of St John introduces a new threat. Something harvesting souls and human minds through the Wi-Fi, leaving them as good as dead. Harvesting them, I might add, in a way that was eerily similar to Season 2's The Idiot's Lantern. Actually, its not just the method of harvesting that is the same, it is the whole idea: new-ish technology which everyone uses (and maybe even addicted to) being used to collect human souls to feed a power-hungry alien (which also uses that technology to communicate - it has no corporeal form) and questions our reliance on technology.

Though the basis of the story may be the same, The Bells of St John offered something new. We get to meet the version of Clara who will be travelling with the Doctor for the rest of the series. Who is this mysterious Clara, how is she alive and why has the Doctor met her before?

Possibly related to this is The Great Intelligence, who was the villain in The Snowmen and the mastermind behind the Wi-Fi invasion. I guess we'll see what becomes of that because its story is far from over.

The Spoonheads were the physical threats in this episodes but they left much to be desired. They were a little underwhelming, and while they suited their role, they just weren't scary enough.

Then there was the clear reference to one Miss Amelia Pond (Williams):

It just so happened to be a book Clara has read. And don't those characters look awfully familiar. (As someone who loved the Ponds, I am so glad this was in there. I still miss them)

The Doctor-Clara dynamic works quite well, as does Matt's and Jenna-Louise's chemistry. Though I hope it just remains casual flirting. There have been enough love stories for the Doctor...I'd like to see a more Doctor and Donna friendship happen. One question though, did Clara keep her newly acquired computer knowledge? Because we know how that will turn out..

Overall, the episode was a good mix of action and comedy with Moffat leaving just enough 'quiet' time before launching into the aeroplane and motorbike scenes. Though it didn't live up to the hype, I still think it worked well by posing enough questions to keep us guessing and wanting to come back for more. I give it a 7/10.

Also, if you are in Australia and are not going to watch it online, you can see it on ABC at 7:30 tonight!


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Doctor Who Royal Mail Stamps

As part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations, Royal Mail has issued a number of stamps featuring each of the 11 Doctors, the TARDIS and some of his notable foes: Daleks, the Weeping Angels, Cybermen and the Ood.

If you're lucky enough to live in the UK, you can purchase these 1st Class stamps at any (well, almost) Post Office. If you're from someone else, you can order them online here

Doctor Who Season 7.5

The second half of Doctor Who season 7 starts in 5 days. FIVE DAYS! You are officially allowed to get really excited.

So if you are part of Hermit's United and have only decided to join the real world, here are the promo pics for the next four episodes:

Episode 6: The Bells of Saint John.
Something is getting people through their Wi-Fi. As if Moffat wasn't evil enough...

There is also the prequel to the episode, which you can see here:

Episode 7: The Rings of Akhaten

The Doctor and Clara travel to what Moffat describes as an "epic, overwhelming, boiling, red-orange planet." 

Episode 8: Cold War

The long-awaited return of the Ice-Warriors is finally happening. Thanks Mark Gatiss 

Episode 9: Hide

A classic, spooky ghost story.

Hopefully they live up to the blockbuster-style that Moffat seems to be going for. 

The Power of Three

SPOILER WARNING

Just a quick note on the feel of the season so far...To be honest, I'm getting a bit tired of these episodes. While I think they are generally good standalone episodes, there could have been a stronger story arc. From what I can tell, the arc is The Doctor saying goodbye to the Ponds. And that's it. I feel as if they should have a stronger sense of going somewhere, that there needs to be a bigger picture.

Anyway, on to The Power of Three

I thought the episode was fantastic in terms of the Doctor-Ponds relationship. However, the actual sci-fi, monster story was lacking. The resolution was far too simplistic and rushed. When I think of a year-long alien invasion (or pest-control as the Doctor so kindly puts it), I think of battles and a fight for the human race. The episode feels reminiscent of the Army of Ghosts/Doomsday episodes but much weaker. There is the same aspect of these 'things' being incorporated into our everyday lives only for them to, well, want to kill us. Whereas Davies' episodes delved into the invasion, Chibnall's was more like "oh I'll just point my sonic screwdriver and be off. Have a good day!"

I mean, Shakri, the stuff of Timelord fairytales was just a hologram and their conversation lasted about two minutes. He really wasn't even a threat. It was hardly exciting.

Also, why were the nurses taking humans onto the ship. I thought they were trying to kill us. And why did the Doctor just leave them there to die? Honestly, I just think it was way to rushed.

That said, The Power of Three was hilarious! I loved Brian's return. He is just a brilliant character, like Wilf. It's a shame we probably won't see him again.

(bye-bye Brian)

I also loved seeing the Doctor being all domestic (even if it was only for an hour!) I can't imagine him sitting still for any length of time so this was great!

The best bit of the entire episode was definitely this part:

It was such a beautiful moment. It made me tear up. The Doctor, destined to be alone because people leave...or die. He has never been so open about his feelings before. I mean, in his tenth regeneration, he couldn't even tell Rose he loved her. So yeah, this was nice.

The Ponds finally settling down after all this time is so sad when you think about how the next adventure will be their last. They finally started to sort out their real lives and it is coming to an end. Boo!

I think I'm even less ready for the Ponds to leave than the Doctor is. Which is..sad. While I really like Amy, Rory is just so amazing. How great was he in this episode. The Rory from the beginning of Season 5 would not have gone charging into an unknown portal completely unaware of what could be waiting for him on the other side. He's really become a proper companion and now he is leaving. And also (queue fangirling), his hair is really sexy and I just want to touch it. He can't leave yet!

Definitely excited for the The Angels Take Manhattan. I've read that it's a bit wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey which should be fun! Though I hated Moffat's confusing episodes in the past, I'm looking forward to one just in the hope that it'll be complex enough to warrant a good amount of time being spent on solving it. It also better be as heart-breaking as Moffat has promised. I want to farewell the Ponds with as much uncontrollable sobbing as I've given to the other companions, Nine and Ten.

What did you think of the episode? Minus the actual alien-fighting, sci-fi part, I thought it was fabulous. Just like the Doctor in this .gif:

And what are you hoping for next week?

(NOTE: pictures/.gifs aren't mine. I borrowed them from Tumblr)

A Town Called Mercy

As always, there will be spoilers

A Town Called Mercy was definitely a triumph. Can we just start off with how visually stunning it was? The scorched, dusty landscape was just amazing and made it look like really authentic. (I would know, I've seen an entire TWO Western films)

The episode was fantastic! I loved the writing and a storyline about morality never gets old. In the Doctor's now 1200 or so years (I'm not sure how or why time jumped that fast), he has had so many life changing moments that of course his morality is going to altered by these experiences. It's always good to revisit it. It felt especially important in this part of the season as he is "weaning" himself off the Ponds, and vice versa. He needs a companion to keep him grounded. We've seen what happens when he doesn't (think the Waters of Mars etc) He needs Amy and Rory to be his moral anchors.

I also want to take back what I said about disliking the part in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship when the Doctor did not save Solomon. In combination with this episode, it seems a lot more...justified? I'm not too sure but it helped to reinforce that the Doctor needs a companion. Would he have perhaps saved Solomon if Amy was there?

Obviously the question of 'what would you do?' was put to us. Save Jex or let the Gunslinger have his justice. What would you have done?

Now that I've mentioned the Gunslinger, how cool was he?! Appearance-wise, at least. They did a really good job with him.

Also, Matt Smith's acting has to be applauded, it really does. I actually have no words for the jail scene and the scene where he pushes Kahler Jex outside the town's boundaries.

Let's delve into those a little. The jail scene was pretty powerful. Kahler Jex is one of those characters that mirrors the Doctor.

"In my culture we believe that when you die your spirit has to climb a mountain, carrying the souls of everyone you wronged in your lifetime. Imagine the weight I will have to lift. The monsters I created, the people I killed" - Jex.

This seems to resonate within the Doctor. Imagine 1200 years of people he has wronged. Imagine the weight the Doctor will have to carry. Though he tries to act for the good of all, nobody is perfect.

There is also the part where Amy and Rory are discussing what they should do with Jex and the Doctor is off in the corner in his own inner conflict.

Then there is this scene. The Doctor actually holding and aiming a gun. 

 Not a single monster is as scary as the Doctor when he is angry like this. 

(Brilliant, brilliant acting, Smithy)

Reflecting back on the episode now though, I feel as if it was kind of...forgettable. Don't get me wrong, the above scene will probably be ingrained in my memory for a while but apart from that, I don't really remember what else happened. 

One last thing, have you all picked up on the recurring motifs from the last 3 episodes? The mention of Christmas and the flickering lights. Eggs seems to be another too. My guess is that the 'Christmas' references mean the new companion and the flickering lights are the Weeping Angels. Not too sure about the eggs thing though. What are your theories?

And, are you excited for the next episode? The Power of Three...sounds like the Doctor needs his companions more than ever!

(Note: None of the pictures/.gifs are mine, I found them on Tumblr :P) 

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS

This week's episode was really great! It was a light, fun episode that was a ball to watch. To be honest, when I first heard the title, I was a little apprehensive. Dinosaurs on a spaceship sounds a bit lame but it worked out fantastically. Plus, the CGI was really good. The dinosaurs looked amazing.

It was fast-paced and had lots of silliness. It's great when the Doctor acts all childish. Matt Smith is so fun to watch.

The extra companions were amazing. I was sort of hoping Solomon (David Bradley aka Filch from Harry Potter) had a cat that snooped around the place. Although I did not like how the Doctor practically blew him up. It did seem out of character. Especially since he had that spiel about disliking violence. That said,  it is obvious why he would do that.

Riddell's (Rupert Graves aka The Walking Innuendo aka Lestrade from Sherlock) flirting with Queen Nefertiti was again, a bit of fun. Especially for the adults. I can't believe I'm actually going to write this but yes, Riddell. I do need a man of adventure and excitement and especially one with a very large weapon.

Brian Williams (Pond, Rory's Dad aka Arthur Weasley from Harry Potter) was pretty cute in this episode. I mean, just look at this. Of all of time and space, he chose to look at earth and enjoy a cuppa from the TARDIS.

Also, he said this:

Doctor: "Brian, you don't have any vegetable matter in your pants do you?"

Brian: "Only my balls."

How could you not love him?! Hope to see him again before the Ponds leave.

The sassy robot henchmen of Solomon's weren't that great to be honest. Again, they added to the fun of the episode, but they could have been funnier. Also, Tricey the Triceratops that acts like a dog? I feel like that's been done before. Oh and the Doctor has now kissed all three Ponds. Challenge completed, it seems. (I approve)

Finally, the heartbreak. They always have to throw something in that kills the fangirls everywhere.

Look at his face. He knows. Something is going to happen to Amy and it's going to break our hearts.

Doctor: "You'll be there 'till the end of me."
Amy: "Or vice versa."

The look they shared at this. The foreshadowing is too much. I loved it. It brought the episode back to the last of the Ponds. It was just enough to not completely ruin the feeling of the episode but still reminded us: the end is nigh.

On one last note: I am going to miss the Ponds. Amy is just so badass. She really took control in this episode and held her own. None of that "damsel in distress" business that someone will always complain about (in regards to female characters in Doctor Who in general.) Also:

Riddell: "Doctor, this is a two man job."
Amy: *picks up stun gun*
Riddell: "What are you doing?"
Amy: "I'm easily worth two men. You can help too, if you like."

Fyeah Amy. You are amazing! 

(Note: None of these pictures are mine. I either googled them or found them on tumblr)

Asylum of the Daleks

Just letting you know there will be SPOILERS in this post.

I was really excited for this new episode of Doctor Who. Eight long months without the Doctor was hard. I mean, I REALLY like this show so of course I really missed it. When the release date was finally announced, I was so excited. New Doctor Who...finally! I even woke up at 5am to watch it as soon as it was released on ABC iview in Australia (just after it aired in the UK) And then I actually watched it and, well, I was slightly underwhelmed.

First off, the Parliament of Daleks? Really? They hardly seem the type to have any sort of democracy. Besides, I can't imagine any sort of debate occurring. They have one opinion - EXTERMINATE. The Daleks could have been a lot scarier in a different setting. That said, the Asylum of the Daleks was pretty cool but again, it could have been pushed a bit more. I would have like to see more from the Daleks who had completely lost it.

Second, Oswin Oswald was fantastic! Maybe it's because I can imagine being just like her (more-so than Rose Tyler as well, I think), sitting around at a computer and making soufflés (aside from the fact that I can't cook) And then there was the kicker. Where DID she get the milk and eggs? Making Oswin a Dalek was a great idea, I must say, but there was one thing that bugged me...

Do you remember the two-part episode 'Daleks in Manhattan' and 'Evolution of the Daleks'? Excluding Dalek Sec, the others from the Cult of Skaro were horrified at the thought of a Dalek/human hybrid. Why then, would they change their minds about converting humans to Daleks? I had a discussion with someone about this. They said the point of the Daleks was to make us question how different we (and the Doctor) really are from them. I definitely agree with this. I love the 'what make us human?' question. However, I don't think we need these obvious comparisons to humanity (such as the Parliament) for us to make the connection. What do you think about all this?

Also, I can accept that Oswin was a genius and the Daleks have some really advanced technology but why did Oswin's voice still sound human over the PA when she was talking to the Doctor and Rory?

Oswin's storyline in this was really great and it reminded me of the Cybermen episodes of the 2nd season. Without the emotion inhibitors, the human would not be able to cope with what they had become, it would literally be too much for them to handle. Also Yvonne Hartman from Torchwood, though she was a Cyberman, was still able to do her "duty for queen and country" Those resonances of humanity in both Oswin and Yvonne make you really feel for them. It's really heart-wrenching.

Rory and Amy were great as usual. I thought it was very clever how Amy told the Doctor that he couldn't fix their marriage like he does his bow-tie and then it cuts to the Doctor straightening his bow-tie after Amy and Rory talk through their problems. There has been some argument over Rory bringing up the 2000 years thing, like how awful it is for him to be keeping score and for using it to measure his love for her, but I thought it gave us more insight into his character.

Rory never thought he would 'get the girl'. Amy thought he was gay, for goodness sake! But he finally did yet there is still this nagging at the back of his mind that he isn't good enough for her, that she might leave him at any second. (Coincidently, she sort of did in Pond Life) Therefore, it's no wonder he has this notion, however wrong it may be, that will always love Amy more than she loves him. Everyone has their little insecurities, right?

Well, that's all I can really remember to say about this episode. I'm very interested to see how they are going to bring back Jenna Louise Coleman's character (I've heard she's actually supposed to be called Clara, so there might be something going on with that) and I can't wait for the next episode! (A Harry Potter reunion as well as Lestrade from Sherlock? I think yes!)

I'm just going to end on this funny little quote:

Oswin: "Is there a word for total, screaming genius that sounds modest and a little bit sexy?"
Doctor: "Doctor. You can call me the Doctor."

The Wedding of River Song

I began this, the first time, by saying that I didn't have much to say but the more I wrote, the more awesome little parts I remembered, so here it is:

I liked it, I mean, it's Doctor Who. I can't not like it. It was somewhat uneventful though. I was expecting a really complicated resolution that would only make sense in the mind of Moffat. The simplicity, therefore, left me sort of underwhelmed. It was just like "oh, that's it, is it?". At the same time though, I still thought it was a good resolution because like I said, it's Doctor Who and hiding in the Teselecta was a pretty good idea. 

One thing I was a bit disappointed in was that the thing I found in a tumblr post I linked to in one of my 'Let's Kill Hitler' posts did not seem to be resolved. This was supposed to be one of the most important things in Let's Kill Hitler, or so the author wrote. And, to be honest, I thought it was a really good theory and something really complex would unfold, relating to the Doctor's tux or something. Unfortunately, nothing. So that was a bit annoying. Especially as it wasn't even mentioned. Also, his new coat. I thought there would be some significance of it but, once again, nothing. Oh and I'm not sure but did they say who that old man who met Amy and them at Lake Silencio was? If you know, please leave a comment! :)

Apart from that, I loved the episode. When River Song was telling the Doctor about the call she sent out to the universe and everyone wanted to help, my eyes started welling up. And how she doesn't want him to die without knowing he is loved. That made me love River in an instant. The Doctor's life is so heartbreaking and when he knows people love him and don't want to leave him, it makes me happy. Yes, I know I get way to invested into the lives of fictional people but honestly, they are a lot more interesting than the lives of real life people. 

Something I found funny was that the Silence made a sort of joke at Rory's expense. You know, with his many deaths and such. Out of all the aliens, the Silence now definitely win as the most scary. Every single time the camera went to the Doctor's arm and we saw there was another stroke was so good. And seeing them there, all hanging upside-down on the roof freaked me out. Moffat's monsters do all have a recurring theme to them though, don't you think? You know, making sure you can see them or something bad will happen. Still, his are always the scariest so they are great!

Also, Amy's drawing of what she thought Rory looked like. So funny! Oh and once again, I've fallen more in love with Rory. He is just so amazing, especially when he had the eyedrive on the entire time even though the Silence were hurting him through it. I have so much love for him, it's not even funny. I'm a bit sad he didn't have more lines but his face every time some new information about him and Amy was told was gold. 

Did anyone feel that Amy shouldn't have regretted her decision to leave Madame Kovarian at the mercy of the Silence? Maybe it was like Davros said in Journey's End:

"The man who abhors violence, never carrying a gun, but this is the truth, Doctor: you take ordinary people and you fashion them into weapons... behold your Children of Time, transformed into murderers. I made the Daleks, Doctor, you made this."

But still, that evil lady stole her daughter. I would have done the same, I think. Would you?  

The actual ending was brilliant. I'm hoping that it means the storylines for next season will be a bit more Russell T Davies style. Or even old Moffat style (as in 'The Empty Child' through to 'Forest of the Dead'). I love that it will be going back to the original question "Doctor Who?". Very excited for the Christmas Special. It's so far away though! 

One thing I did hear is that Amy and Rory won't have as big a role in season 7 as they have in 5 and 6 and that they'll be occasional companions rather than in each episode. I hope that's not true. I also heard that Confidential will no longer be filmed because of the big budget special effects in the actual show. I'm sad to hear that although the more recent episodes weren't as good. I much preferred watching how the show was produced than how Karen Gillan is learning to drive.Watching Confidential is what made me want to study film in Uni. It better come back!

That's about it then. I have many many questions, feel free to answer them if you want/care. What did you think about the episode? :)

Bye <3

The God Complex

I really really enjoyed this episode. A lot of people have been saying that they don't like the 'filler' episodes because we've been left hanging with the whole Doctor-dying-at-Lake-Silencio-and-what-happened-to-River thing. To be honest though, that is why I'm loving them! While I really want to know how this season is going to be tied up, these episodes remind me somewhat of the RTD days (which I call the glory days of Doctor Who). I say somewhat because, honestly, nothing will ever be the same as when he was the producer.

I thought the alien from the planet that always surrenders was pretty interesting and funny. Their planet's national anthem is 'Glory to *insert name here*' haha!

I would have loved to know Rory's fear. (It was still their fears in the rooms, right? Even though the monster fed on people's loss of faith/conversion to worship it). And the Doctor's fear too. I laughed when his room was number 11, how cliche of the writer. I know he did go in and say "of course, who else?" but who could he be talking about? I'm thinking Rassilon and the timelords in general because last time they were unleashed things didn't go too well. Maybe River (if it is her in the astronaut suit) or himself? These are just my silly theories though, who do you think he was talking about?

I think the concept itself was interesting but I'm not very good at being analytical and all, so I won't even bother trying. Although, I always love when the monster really isn't a monster at all, just sort of misunderstood (like Frankenstien's monster. Best book I've ever been assigned for school)

Also, I wonder what was with the exit door that Rory saw and then just disappeared. Was that of any significance or am I just thinking too much about things?

One last thing, the ending was annoying. I love Rory way too much. I don't want to see them go. Especially how they were just kind of dropped off, after a cab ride (which is how I think Amy put it). I know they will obviously be back but still.

I am excited for Craig to be back in next weeks episode though! Let's hope we see some more of the Doctor's soccer skills ;)

Let's Kill Hitler pt 2

I have a feeling that this post will be quite a bit longer than the last one. Thanks for reading these and commenting by the way. It makes me feel loved :)

So for the things I didn't like:

1. I thought there would be a lot more killing Hitler and a lot less being miniaturised and transported into a robot. It was kind of unfair how they advertised it, especially since I thought they would be bringing up the idea of how much you can change from the past and how it might affect the future. So that was disappointing.
2. River effing Song. So I know I said I didn't hate her as much in this episode but the fact that this entire season revolves around her is getting really annoying. I just really don't like her. I also thought it was really strange how she grew up with her parents and practically made them get together (as Mels). It's creepy and confusing. 
3. I hate that there is so much death in Moffat's seasons. I hate how the Doctor is so, well, weak and River is the hero so often. I liked thinking of him as pretty much invincible (although I obviously know that this is not so). Also, Kayley said in her reaction video about how it just makes her not care about them dying any more because it happens so often and I have to agree with her. I mean, when Harriet Jones died I was almost crying because even though she wasn't a major character, we were still made to care about her enough. 
4. That little scene with the banana. Yes it was funny and cute but really, I don't want this to be Sherlock. That is it's own show and I hate when Moffat incorporates Sherlock-type scenes into Doctor Who. It probably shouldn't bug me, but it does.

To TwitchLazuli, although I hate River, I have to agree. She was pretty funny and kickass. (Is there any way to reply to comments?)

Despite these things, I just read something that may make me actually like Moffat after all. This is possibly the most important thing in Let's Kill Hitler. I cannot believe this guy picked up on these things, it's brilliant! And if there is that connection (probably is), my opinion on Moffat will probably change to me worshipping his cleverness. It would have taken a lot of thought. 

Ok, so I honestly thought I would have a lot more things to dislike about this episode. I probably shouldn't have left writing this so long after seeing it. I know I've forgotten some things. 

I can't wait for next weeks episode though, it looks really scary! 

Bye for now <3

Let's Kill Hitler pt 1

I always have this thing about new Who (which, to me is the name for the current, Moffat era rather than from the beginning of RTD's era) where I both love it and hate it. I've said this many times before because some parts are absolutely brilliant and then others I'm thinking 'what on earth just happened?' The same applies for this episode. I'm going to do this in two parts, so it doesn't get too long. I think I'll start with the parts that I loved as I feel as if I'm too mean sometimes :P

The things I loved about 'Let's Kill Hitler':

1. RORY! You may know by now that I am actually in love with Rory and this episode just made me like him even more. He is so badass punching Hitler like that AND putting him in a cupboard. (I replayed that bit twice) Then he was all like " A miniaturisation ray" and was all cute and stuff. (Sorry for that part, I'm too much of a Rory fangirl)
2. For once River Song wasn't the smug know-it-all that I have always hated from the start. Yes, she did almost kill the Doctor but at least he knew more than her for once. 
3. The dialogue. There were some really great little one liners that made me laugh. I also really liked the part where we got to see Amy and Rory growing up, and how Amy thought Rory was gay. 
4. We got to see Rose, Martha and Donna again. Although I had hoped they would have a bigger role, not just a little hologram thing, it was still good to see them :) Also, it was nice to see that the Doctor didn't just forget about them so quickly after meeting Amy. It's good to know that he still feels guilty about the way things ended with them (Not that I want him to be depressed but I miss those characters a lot so he should as well)
5. The fact that it was Doctor Who. To be honest, I think this was the main reason I liked it so much. Not watching Doctor Who for not even two weeks was obviously too long for me.

Part 2 of this will be up as soon as I am bothered to write it :P
DFTBA <3