Don't Stop Me Now: Doctor Who Hits Its Stride This Week

[harpere]

Don't Stop Me Now: Doctor Who Hits Its Stride This Week

In "Mummy on the Orient Express" the Doctor and Clara take a farewell trip on the Orient Express... but since this is Doctor Who, it doesn't go as well as anyone expects.

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[Daystar Clarion]

I really liked this episode.

Also really love that Queen cover, like seriously good.

 

[deth2munkies]

Honestly, I thought it was the worst of the season so far. I was really hoping to see the Doctor sans Clara for once, but that hope was quickly dashed. There was no real moral dilemma in the episode, just the fact that the new Doctor is very blunt. And the series of dumb questions and non-answers at the end that results in a return to the status quo makes the meltdown at the end of the last episode completely fucking pointless.

I mean the mystery wasn't even that interesting because there was no sense of danger or suspense: none of the main characters were ever targeted by the mummy until the Doctor willingly stepped into the line of fire via some random deus ex machina emotion swapper (I have no idea why that particular thing bothers me more than the Sonic Screwdriver being able to do anything the plot demands while not working/not being used when the plot doesn't require it).

Anyway, I'm still going to keep watching, but this season just got a lot less interesting.

Also: The Queen cover was good tho.

 

[VincentX3]

Honestly, I thought it was the worst of the season so far. I was really hoping to see the Doctor sans Clara for once, but that hope was quickly dashed. There was no real moral dilemma in the episode, just the fact that the new Doctor is very blunt. And the series of dumb questions and non-answers at the end that results in a return to the status quo makes the meltdown at the end of the last episode completely fucking pointless.

I mean the mystery wasn't even that interesting because there was no sense of danger or suspense: none of the main characters were ever targeted by the mummy until the Doctor willingly stepped into the line of fire via some random deus ex machina emotion swapper (I have no idea why that particular thing bothers me more than the Sonic Screwdriver being able to do anything the plot demands while not working/not being used when the plot doesn't require it).

Anyway, I'm still going to keep watching, but this season just got a lot less interesting.

Also: The Queen cover was good tho.

Pretty much this ^

I was interested in the beginning when he started counting down.

As the episode went on I kinda just... lost interest
It felt kinda forced and boring for me, there was no real danger other than it targets 1 person at a time.

Then of course Clara gets stuck in a room cause why not and even though the whole train exploded the Doctor managed to save everyone even though they we're basically oxygen deprived for (What I'm assuming) over a min each.

So you're telling me he can drag around 7 to 8 people into the Tardis while everything is exploding in that very moment?
Also huge coincidence that a random civilized planet is nearby.

Then the Deus-EX machina swapping. It felt REALLY forced. I mean sure, it's science fiction, but they literally pulled that out of no where and I'm like "okay that exists now".
How does it even work? Are her memories now part of the Doctors? Does she forget all the problems then?

Then Clara is like "lol no I'm still going with you k" at the end because happy endings.

It may seem like I'm nit picking, but I just couldn't really seem to be entertained at all by this episode, It felt like a drag watching most of it.

So far no episode beats the "Listening" episode.

 

[Darth Marsden]

I am shocked - SHOCKED - that no-one's talking about Frank Skinner's role.

SHOCKED.

(I liked him, for the record.)

 

[Gizmo1990]

I am shocked - SHOCKED - that no-one's talking about Frank Skinner's role.

SHOCKED.

(I liked him, for the record.)

I am with you man. Loved his part. Wish he had stayed and replaced Clara.

OT:

I will just post what I said in the other thread.

I liked it, much to me surprise. I was a bit disapointed that it would not be a Clara free episode as the teaser from last week made it look like it could have been but she actually did very little. And I loved the apperance of Frank Skinner. I really wish he had said yes and stayed on the Tardis even tho a small part of me expected him to turn out to be Gus.

Next week looks like we are going to be back to the Clara Oswold show tho. The Doctor traped in the Tardis with Clara outside doing all the important stuff.

Not that it matters if I like it or not. My GF will watch it no matter how bad it gets and my sister has a crush on Clara so as they are both staying with me at the moment I have no control of the TV remote.

 

[Remus]

Haven't seen much about Paradise lately, and the body count stepped up a bit this episode. In a way I'm kinda glad that every episode isn't connected to the arc somehow. It will be nice though, to see Capaldi get his "Everybody lives!" moment at the end of the season.
Captcha: I like humans. Sure, but what is Missy?

 

[joshuaayt]

I honestly don't know why people dislike Clara so much, she's a pretty good companion, as they go- she (sometimes) makes her own decisions, which is still more autonomy than I've seen in a companion before, and flatly lets Doc know when he's being an asshole. I WANT to see more episodes that focus on her, though I could do with less Danny (Not that he was really an issue this episode, I guess. He just sorta phoned it in, one could say)

I do wish she didn't recant her decision to give it up, though- the idea of a human telling this awesome being to fuck off because he's being a dick seems really cool to me. I was hoping she'd get dragged back in to the game reluctantly, with some sort of alien threat on earth or whatever.

On top of all that, I love just how much of a jerk this Doctor can be. We've had three completely lovable scamps in a row, it's about time we got one who'll make you wonder, every now and then.

 

[Gizmo1990]

I honestly don't know why people dislike Clara so much, she's a pretty good companion, as they go- she (sometimes) makes her own decisions, which is still more autonomy than I've seen in a companion before, and flatly lets Doc know when he's being an asshole.

I do wish she didn't recant her decision to give it up, though- the idea of a human telling this awesome being to fuck off because he's being a dick seems really cool to me. I was hoping she'd get dragged back in to the game reluctantly, with some sort of alien threat on earth or whatever.

On top of all that, I love just how much of a jerk this Doctor can be. We've had three completely lovable scamps in a row, it's about time we got one who'll make you wonder, every now and then.

I can't speak for everyone else but I don't hate her. I am simply tired of her being the focus of the show. The majority of this series has felt like The Clara Oswold show and her time traveling side kick. When the Doctor doing crazy stuff and saving the world/galaxy/universe is the B plot to Clara's love life then something has gone very wrong. He has been made a secondary character in his own show. It happened with the last lot of comps as well, Moffat has a habit of focusing a little too much on them.

I realise that people might not agree with me but that is just how I feel.

 

[Infernai]

I honestly don't know why people dislike Clara so much, she's a pretty good companion, as they go- she (sometimes) makes her own decisions, which is still more autonomy than I've seen in a companion before, and flatly lets Doc know when he's being an asshole.

I do wish she didn't recant her decision to give it up, though- the idea of a human telling this awesome being to fuck off because he's being a dick seems really cool to me. I was hoping she'd get dragged back in to the game reluctantly, with some sort of alien threat on earth or whatever.

On top of all that, I love just how much of a jerk this Doctor can be. We've had three completely lovable scamps in a row, it's about time we got one who'll make you wonder, every now and then.

I can't speak for everyone else but I don't hate her. I am simply tired of her being the focus of the show. The majority of this series has felt like The Clara Oswold show and her time traveling side kick. When the Doctor doing crazy stuff and saving the world/galaxy/universe is the B plot to Clara's love life then something has gone very wrong. He has been made a secondary character in his own show. It happened with the last lot of comps as well, Moffat has a habit of focusing a little too much on them.

I realise that people might not agree with me but that is just how I feel.

I'm with you Gizmo.

It's gotten to the point where if by some miniscule, utterly damned near impossible chance I actually ended up as writer of the show I'd implement the following rules:

1. Companions get one episode a season to focus on their home/personal life. Maybe two if they're likeable enough or the story for said episode is just that damned good. Primary focus will be back on adventures, traveling in time and space and all that good stuff whovians come here to see.

2. I'd write a new companion in after giving Clara a sendoff and, at the end of their introductory episode, have the following exchange.
"Hey Doctor, can I...make a request?"
"-sighs- What's wrong now?"
"Oh, uh, nothing really it's just. Well, can we not really go dropping me at home too much while I'm traveling unless I get really homesick or something?"
"I can, but I wanna know why."
"Well, for one thing I've got all of time and space to explore. Two, my home life is probably the single most boring thing in the whole universe and I've got next to no family or friends so nobody would miss me too much. Besides, I'm pretty sure if I give you the choice between fixing my car and exploring a world that rains dinosaurs. You'd probably go with the dinosaurs."
"-smiles- Oh you and me are going to get along swimmingly. -flicks switches on TARDIS console- So, world that rains dinosaurs was it? -cue end of episode-"

 

[Makabriel]

What? No one's going to ask/guess what he was writing in the sand???

 

[Kingjackl]

Then of course Clara gets stuck in a room cause why not and even though the whole train exploded the Doctor managed to save everyone even though they we're basically oxygen deprived for (What I'm assuming) over a min each.

So you're telling me he can drag around 7 to 8 people into the Tardis while everything is exploding in that very moment?
Also huge coincidence that a random civilized planet is nearby.

I'm pretty sure he used the mummy's teleporter to get everyone out. Also, why is it weird that he was able to drop everyone off at a nearby civilised planet? He has a TARDIS, he could have dropped them off in the middle of the Zargon civil war if he wanted to!

I sort of agree that the emotion swapping was a bit last minute, but does it really matter? It served the plot, it didn't contradict any previous information, and it's Doctor Who! These sorts of plot-convenient devices pop up all the time; that's what the sonic screwdriver is for, and be thankful they didn't use that to do it for once.

 

[small]

im directly one of the people that are in the ready to give up on the capaldi era. because of the review i might get around to it eventually, might be worth a look

 

[pillywiggins]

I can't be the only one that thinks they all died on that train and that the beach they were on at the end was Paradise, right?

 

[frobalt]

Honestly, I thought it was the worst of the season so far. I was really hoping to see the Doctor sans Clara for once, but that hope was quickly dashed. There was no real moral dilemma in the episode, just the fact that the new Doctor is very blunt. And the series of dumb questions and non-answers at the end that results in a return to the status quo makes the meltdown at the end of the last episode completely fucking pointless.

I mean the mystery wasn't even that interesting because there was no sense of danger or suspense: none of the main characters were ever targeted by the mummy until the Doctor willingly stepped into the line of fire via some random deus ex machina emotion swapper (I have no idea why that particular thing bothers me more than the Sonic Screwdriver being able to do anything the plot demands while not working/not being used when the plot doesn't require it).

Anyway, I'm still going to keep watching, but this season just got a lot less interesting.

Also: The Queen cover was good tho.

Pretty much this ^

I was interested in the beginning when he started counting down.

As the episode went on I kinda just... lost interest
It felt kinda forced and boring for me, there was no real danger other than it targets 1 person at a time.

Then of course Clara gets stuck in a room cause why not and even though the whole train exploded the Doctor managed to save everyone even though they we're basically oxygen deprived for (What I'm assuming) over a min each.

So you're telling me he can drag around 7 to 8 people into the Tardis while everything is exploding in that very moment?
Also huge coincidence that a random civilized planet is nearby.

Then the Deus-EX machina swapping. It felt REALLY forced. I mean sure, it's science fiction, but they literally pulled that out of no where and I'm like "okay that exists now".
How does it even work? Are her memories now part of the Doctors? Does she forget all the problems then?

Then Clara is like "lol no I'm still going with you k" at the end because happy endings.

It may seem like I'm nit picking, but I just couldn't really seem to be entertained at all by this episode, It felt like a drag watching most of it.

So far no episode beats the "Listening" episode.

My god! Some people really do just feel like nit-picking everything, don't they? Even when they don't listen.

The Doctor didn't teleport everyone out in a second before the train exploded, he teleported them out and then tried to hack into Gus to find out who it was. Gus then blew up the train to stop him from doing that. It was the editing of the scene that made it look like that.

 

[WindKnight]

I really liked this episode.

Also really love that Queen cover, like seriously good.

Highlight of the episode for me, and I don't mean that in a mean way... as soon as someone can point me to where I can get it, its bought.

 

[Alpha Maeko]

I would've liked it better if Clara hadn't pulled a switch and gone back on her decision.

What kind of significance does her decision to leave him even have if the people watching the show haven't even seen the Doctor go one episode without her?

Still, I did enjoy it.

 

[Jeroenr]

Haven't seen much about Paradise lately, and the body count stepped up a bit this episode. In a way I'm kinda glad that every episode isn't connected to the arc somehow. It will be nice though, to see Capaldi get his "Everybody lives!" moment at the end of the season.
Captcha: I like humans. Sure, but what is Missy?

Yeah, i was half expecting the train conductor to show up in Paradise.

I am curious to see were they are going with the arc, but looking at past story arc's it can take a season or two to fully play out.

 

[VincentX3]

Honestly, I thought it was the worst of the season so far. I was really hoping to see the Doctor sans Clara for once, but that hope was quickly dashed. There was no real moral dilemma in the episode, just the fact that the new Doctor is very blunt. And the series of dumb questions and non-answers at the end that results in a return to the status quo makes the meltdown at the end of the last episode completely fucking pointless.

I mean the mystery wasn't even that interesting because there was no sense of danger or suspense: none of the main characters were ever targeted by the mummy until the Doctor willingly stepped into the line of fire via some random deus ex machina emotion swapper (I have no idea why that particular thing bothers me more than the Sonic Screwdriver being able to do anything the plot demands while not working/not being used when the plot doesn't require it).

Anyway, I'm still going to keep watching, but this season just got a lot less interesting.

Also: The Queen cover was good tho.

Pretty much this ^

I was interested in the beginning when he started counting down.

As the episode went on I kinda just... lost interest
It felt kinda forced and boring for me, there was no real danger other than it targets 1 person at a time.

Then of course Clara gets stuck in a room cause why not and even though the whole train exploded the Doctor managed to save everyone even though they we're basically oxygen deprived for (What I'm assuming) over a min each.

So you're telling me he can drag around 7 to 8 people into the Tardis while everything is exploding in that very moment?
Also huge coincidence that a random civilized planet is nearby.

Then the Deus-EX machina swapping. It felt REALLY forced. I mean sure, it's science fiction, but they literally pulled that out of no where and I'm like "okay that exists now".
How does it even work? Are her memories now part of the Doctors? Does she forget all the problems then?

Then Clara is like "lol no I'm still going with you k" at the end because happy endings.

It may seem like I'm nit picking, but I just couldn't really seem to be entertained at all by this episode, It felt like a drag watching most of it.

So far no episode beats the "Listening" episode.

My god! Some people really do just feel like nit-picking everything, don't they? Even when they don't listen.

The Doctor didn't teleport everyone out in a second before the train exploded, he teleported them out and then tried to hack into Gus to find out who it was. Gus then blew up the train to stop him from doing that. It was the editing of the scene that made it look like that.

Doesnt really matter if it was bad editing, by that time I was already pretty bored of the episode.

Also Deus-EX machina emotion swapper isn't nitpicking?
To each their own.