Dr Who : Hell Bent

[totheendofsin]

I think some people are misunderstanding Gallifrey's situation, it's back, permanently in this dimension, it's just out of the way until they need it for another story. As it stands they can now use individual Time Lords as enemies again without it being some 'ZOMG HOW ARE YOU HERE' big deal, they just took a Tardis from Gallifrey, which exists close to the end of the universe's life span, and went back in time

It just feels like gallefrey was made the enemy this season for "reasons", and now any motivation the doctor would have for discovering the planets location is lost since now he holds a grudge against the higher ups of gallefrey for what they did to him.

Thing is Gallifrey wasn't the bad guy in the finale, sure Rassilon was an asshole, but the villain for the finale was The Doctor and his desire to rescue Clara at all cost, and in the end Clara was able to 'out Doctor' him and set things right (the fact that time doesn't unravel means that we know she goes back to Gallifrey at some point to be reinserted into her time stream.

Basically this was The Doctor in 'Time Lord Victorious' mode

 

[Biran53]

Moffat finales are always small scale affairs revolving around emotional conflicts regarding the Doctor's "destiny" as opposed to a large scale invasion. This sometimes works (see: this episode and "The Big Bang") or fails spectacularly ("The Name of the Doctor").

But even when the script squelches a bit trying to get the Doctor and Clara to the central dilemma posited near the end, Capaldi and Coleman sell the HELL out of their friendship. Doctor Who has never made my cry, but the show hasn't made me this melancholic since 11's mourning of Amy and Rory. Calpaldi playing desperate is simply heartbreaking.

 

[Thaluikhain]

"Meh"...they finally brought Gallifrey back, something they've been talking about for 10 odd years, and then Clara gets self righteous at it and they go away. Huh.

They finally kill someone off and don't bring them back next episode, and then they bring them back the one after that. Huh.

What's particularly annoying about this is that the Master's character has completely changed in the process. In the past he was always scheming to seize power for himself and occasionally trying to kill the Doctor. In the last classic episode I watched the Master was trying to strangle the Doctor to death with some kind of remote controlled telephone cord.

Missy's motivation though is entirely based on the Doctor, whether it's building an army for him, getting worried and looking for him when he goes missing, or whatever the latest plot was all about. There always seemed to be the suggestion that the Doctor and the Master had been friends to some degree, but Missy is basically just obsessed with the guy. Like a really evil Amy Pond or Clara.

I don't have an issue with Time Lords changing gender, cause they change a lot when they regenerate anyway.

But, they ruined the Master, yeah. You'll also note that he or she has never worn a disguise as such in NuWho. That was the Master's thing, to the extent that in The Mark of the Rani, he was standing around in a field dressed as a scarecrow when the Doctor went past...not because he was expecting the Doctor to be on Earth or had a plan, he just seems to be hardcore into cosplay.

Anyway, the last episode was a big disappointment, it left like Moffatt is making sure that Clara is the Best Companion Ever. And yet another total cop out when it comes to a character dying. How is the audience supposed to take these story arcs seriously when they all end like this?

Yup.

And to those saying that at least the universe wasn't at threat this time, it was. From the Doctor. Sure, it magically didn't go anywhere for some reason, but he was going to destroy the entire universe rather than have Clara die again. Screw every other companion he's ever had (and everyone else).

 

[Thyunda]

I have really, really hated this season. I despise Clara. I think she's an awful companion because she is basically flawless. Whatever mistakes she makes have no consequences because the universe just alters itself to suit her. It's ridiculous. And it's really sad that this is what Capaldi has to deal with - it's a good thing he's a damn good Doctor, because right now he's being forced to play some sort of boyfriend character who is in equal parts 'affably dim' and 'stupidly loyal.' The bit that makes it awkward is you can basically see the scenes that were written with romantic tension in mind and then altered to suit Capaldi's age.

There is one thing though - one tiny thing that Clara says that caught my attention. "You're a high-born Gallifreyan. A Time Lord." Which implies that the ability to regenerate is less racial and more cultural, as though all of those soldiers simply lack the longevity of their betters. That is an interesting concept I'd like to see more of.

 

[Remus]

Hmmm and another character that we already know dies pops in post-mort. We've seen it. But she'll be knocking around the universe in her diner anyway. However, this does mean that Maisie might show up again later too, and I like all the random Game of Thrones guest stars this show has had as of late, even the Maester as Rassilon regenerated. In a way I'm glad that Clara wasn't simply shunted back to her impending doom. Having her saved only to die again would seem cruel. She could've easily showed up in the diner as one of her splits from when she entered the Doctor's tomb, but I digress. And it is a far better end than what happened to Amy and Rory. The X-mas show has the return of another of the Doctor's Walking Dead, River. I'm curious if this will be "just another wacky adventure" or her last appearance before her trip to the library.

BTW there isn't just "nothing you can do" to a dalek wanting to die. One shot through the eyestalk of an unshielded dalek is sufficient.

 

[elvor0]

There is one thing though - one tiny thing that Clara says that caught my attention. "You're a high-born Gallifreyan. A Time Lord." Which implies that the ability to regenerate is less racial and more cultural, as though all of those soldiers simply lack the longevity of their betters. That is an interesting concept I'd like to see more of.

afaik it's always been the case that Gallifrey has always had an elite; The Time Lords, while the peasants are just Gallifreyan. Though someone more versed in classic who and/or the EU feel free to correct me there.

Unless it's been retconned, the 1991 story "The Scrolls of Rassilon" actually explains this, it's all about the transformation of The Gallifreyan society into Lords of Time, and it details that the Time Lord ability to regenerate(and their backup organs) is actually the result of a virus, designed by a biologist in Rassilons employ, which was released at Rassilons command. It however had the downside of only being effective on 10% of the population, and of that 10%, 5% will die. The Time Lords are thus made up of those lucky enough to be effected by the virus, with the 12 regenerations explained by the notion that there is only enough of the virus to facilitate regeneration 12 times.

With that in mind, being high born doesn't actually help your chances, due to babies sharing the same 1/10 chance for Time Lord-ification.

The story comes in audiotape format that at least was created post Tennent as it contains "This is Galifrey" as part of the backing music, so it's unlikely that its been retconned.

OT: I....did not like this episode, an opinion which seems to be rather unusually maverick. I really enjoyed this season thus far, especially Heaven Sent and The Zygon Inversion but I felt this episode was rushed, a cop out and a mess.

2 years of buildup to Gallifrey and we barely spend any time exploring the renewed Gallifrey for the modern audience, Rassilon bumbles around like a senile old grandpa, not even resembling himself, to the point where up until he said he was Rassilon I assumed that someone else was in charge and he'd died by The Masters hand in Tennents finale.

On that, the Time Lords were fucking crap. I know The Doctor is more respected in the wake of the Time War, but they didn't quake before The Doctor, they told him what to do, because they're The Time Lords and can do as they please. Rassilon certainly wouldn't have hesitated to glove that whole platoon to death and then stick The Doctor somewhere else.

The Sisterhood of Khan show up and get no explanation, despite only being introduced prior in The Magicians Apprentice verrry shortly and only really having been fleshed out in mini episodes that were on a box set. I know who they are, but your mainstream audience wont.

Clara cheating death felt like a massive cop out and has some serious implications, for one, cheating death like that was stupidly cheap and secondly, this is a show that has repeatedly shown that messing with fixed points has catastrophic consequences. Clara's death being averted causes at the very least a massive paradox and at worst collapse of the universe. But no, she's fine and gets to run around with Me in her stolen TARDIS that they both inexplicably know how to fly.

Me not really being bothered that she was stuck at the end of the death of universe all seemed rather flat, completely against her character shown thus far who was pretty bitter about having been cursed with immortality.

The Doctor breaking his own rules, Clara telling him he's done so, he acknowledges this....and then nothing, nada, zilch. Clara and Me ride around in a Diner, Doctor gets his TARDIS back, Moffat gives the audience the bird and then runs off scott free. Sure, The Doctor forgets what Clara looks like, but he still remembers all the things they did together. There's no consequences that actually mean anything, or have a lasting loss.

Overall, it plodded around trying to tell a personal story that for me fell flat and cheap, did nothing with the set pieces it spend 2 years and a whole season building and then just stopped when 45 minutes was up, while next episode just seems to abandon the story and established canon.

Lastly...does Capaldi carry that guitar in his pocket?

 

[Thyunda]

There is one thing though - one tiny thing that Clara says that caught my attention. "You're a high-born Gallifreyan. A Time Lord." Which implies that the ability to regenerate is less racial and more cultural, as though all of those soldiers simply lack the longevity of their betters. That is an interesting concept I'd like to see more of.

afaik it's always been the case that Gallifrey has always had an elite; The Time Lords, while the peasants are just Gallifreyan. Though someone more versed in classic who and/or the EU feel free to correct me there.

Unless it's been retconned, the 1991 story "The Scrolls of Rassilon" actually explains this, it's all about the transformation of The Gallifreyan society into Lords of Time, and it details that the Time Lord ability to regenerate(and their backup organs) is actually the result of a virus, designed by a biologist in Rassilons employ, which was released at Rassilons command. It however had the downside of only being effective on 10% of the population, and of that 10%, 5% will die. The Time Lords are thus made up of those lucky enough to be effected by the virus, with the 12 regenerations explained by the notion that there is only enough of the virus to facilitate regeneration 12 times.

With that in mind, being high born doesn't actually help your chances, due to babies sharing the same 1/10 chance for Time Lord-ification.

The story comes in audiotape format that at least was created post Tennent as it contains "This is Galifrey" as part of the backing music, so it's unlikely that its been retconned.

OT: I....did not like this episode, an opinion which seems to be rather unusually maverick. I really enjoyed this season thus far, especially Heaven Sent and The Zygon Inversion but I felt this episode was rushed, a cop out and a mess.

2 years of buildup to Gallifrey and we barely spend any time exploring the renewed Gallifrey for the modern audience, Rassilon bumbles around like a senile old grandpa, not even resembling himself, to the point where up until he said he was Rassilon I assumed that someone else was in charge and he'd died by The Masters hand in Tennents finale.

On that, the Time Lords were fucking crap. I know The Doctor is more respected in the wake of the Time War, but they didn't quake before The Doctor, they told him what to do, because they're The Time Lords and can do as they please. Rassilon certainly wouldn't have hesitated to glove that whole platoon to death and then stick The Doctor somewhere else.

The Sisterhood of Khan show up and get no explanation, despite only being introduced prior in The Magicians Apprentice verrry shortly and only really having been fleshed out in mini episodes that were on a box set. I know who they are, but your mainstream audience wont.

Though it's been explained previously I feel like they've barely done anything with it. Are regular Gallifreyans unable to travel through space? Are they not stigmatised and reviled by the rest of the universe as much as the Daleks are for the actions of their betters?

I'd love more episodes dealing with this. This has potential to be less shit than the whole "but the Doctor likes people and hands out immortality biscuits!"

 

[kitsunefather]

I liked it overall, but I think the most important development of this episode is that, going forward, we can actually get stories about Capaldi's Doctor. Clara, while an interesting character originally, has been the focus of the series for almost the entirety of this Doctor's stories. Even when she's not in an episode, someone has to remind the audience that she's wonderful. I know she has her fans, but having watched her story end twice (the Name of the Doctor and then Death in Heaven) this entire season has felt like a love note to the character, and how "special" she is. Moffat's made several comparisons between her and Sarah Jane Smith, and I think this was his attempt to force the kind of fan response Sarah Jane got by placing Clara on a pedestal.

A last comment on the Clara plot:

Spoiler

The fact that, at the end, she gets a TARDIS and her very own immortal companion, I find absolutely galling. They've established repeatedly that the Doctor's TARDIS likes Clara, and so goes where she asks it, but now they are establishing that she knows how to pilot it.

As to the plot thread of the episode; the "Hybrid":

Spoiler

The Doctor knows about Time Lord/Dalek hybrids. He created them in the first episode of the season, and left the Master with them. I'm not sure if they're insinuating that the "4.5 billion years" he spent in the Confession Disc has clouded his memory, but it shouldn't have; he reset repeatedly in that time, meaning he hasn't actually aged that amount. Davros even SAYS that he's made Time Lord/Dalek hybrids.

But, for the sake of argument, let's say they ALL died in the ensuing chaos. Then it's a team-up between the Master and Davros, like "Me's" suggestion of it being two people. This really isn't a hard mystery, and the Doctor being ignorant/evasive about it doesn't make any sense, except the focus of the episode is (again) Clara. Likely, you've read my complaints on that above.

All in all for me, a good episode weighed down like most of the season with the all-importance of Clara Oswald. It has good ideas and excellent atmosphere, and from what we've been able to see Capaldi is my favorite Doctor since Tom Baker. It is, however, the cap of an entire season designed to tell us how magnificent Clara is, at the sacrifice of the Doctor's story.

 

[kitsunefather]

I'm curious if this will be "just another wacky adventure" or her last appearance before her trip to the library.

The trip before the library is actually a short they did for Matt Smith's Doctor, where his and River's first and last dates cross each other in the TARDIS.

 

[elvor0]

There is one thing though - one tiny thing that Clara says that caught my attention. "You're a high-born Gallifreyan. A Time Lord." Which implies that the ability to regenerate is less racial and more cultural, as though all of those soldiers simply lack the longevity of their betters. That is an interesting concept I'd like to see more of.

afaik it's always been the case that Gallifrey has always had an elite; The Time Lords, while the peasants are just Gallifreyan. Though someone more versed in classic who and/or the EU feel free to correct me there.

Unless it's been retconned, the 1991 story "The Scrolls of Rassilon" actually explains this, it's all about the transformation of The Gallifreyan society into Lords of Time, and it details that the Time Lord ability to regenerate(and their backup organs) is actually the result of a virus, designed by a biologist in Rassilons employ, which was released at Rassilons command. It however had the downside of only being effective on 10% of the population, and of that 10%, 5% will die. The Time Lords are thus made up of those lucky enough to be effected by the virus, with the 12 regenerations explained by the notion that there is only enough of the virus to facilitate regeneration 12 times.

With that in mind, being high born doesn't actually help your chances, due to babies sharing the same 1/10 chance for Time Lord-ification.

The story comes in audiotape format that at least was created post Tennent as it contains "This is Galifrey" as part of the backing music, so it's unlikely that its been retconned.

-snip-

Though it's been explained previously I feel like they've barely done anything with it. Are regular Gallifreyans unable to travel through space? Are they not stigmatised and reviled by the rest of the universe as much as the Daleks are for the actions of their betters?

I'd love more episodes dealing with this. This has potential to be less shit than the whole "but the Doctor likes people and hands out immortality biscuits!"

Yeah definitely feels like a massively missed opportunity. Was hoping for a more in depth look at Gallifrey from the new series, but alas no.

In the shows defence though, immortality biscuit was an unintended side effect which they did seem to be exploring the ramifications of, until they didn't.