Doctor Who (40) 14:03: BOOM

[BAYLOR]

I've caught up. A Stephen Moffat story, which might account for the improvement. Moffat is very good at getting just the right pacing.

There always has to be a "message" with Nu-WHO, but as far as computer-simulated wars, computers-gone-wrong and "allegorically powerful, common sense implausible scenarios" go, I think Kirk's Enterprise has been there first, on several different occasions, and quite a long time ago too.

At least the Doctor didn't have to defeat the mainframe and murderous AI algorithms with "Pure Logic" though, but here it was "parent power" and a father's love that achieved it - aw shucks!

More "Snow"! Yes, I think the "snow" is certainly going to be a story arc this season.

In retrospect , what might have worked out better is if they kept the half hour serial episodic format of the old show and simply upgrade a few things , first off no use of tape , film only , upgrade the special effects and props which could have done without breaking the bank, eliminate the whole companion romance crap, that never worked at all.

 

[Provincial]

Well, I have one or two friends who only got interested in Doctor Who when the romance stuff started (although they liked the old stuff, too, when they went back to it) so clearly it works for some people, and perhaps it helps to refresh the audience. Personally I still tend to feel uncomfortable when a companion starts to 'get ideas' about the father-figure of my childhood; yet I didn't mind it at all when the Doctor was a woman. I actually found it quite moving.

I guess they felt that they had to consider the romantic side of a man's nature when they started to go for younger Doctors. We should be grateful that we haven't been obliged to endure a sixteen-year-old Time Lord!

 

[Provincial]

I still find Clara-type companions really irritating, however,

 

[Dave]

For a mortal to become involved romantically with an immortal is just asking for trouble, and vice versa. Before the courtship is barely over, they're burying them in the ground once again. Same thing with Vampires, except more sanguinary.

There was some chemistry between Tom Baker and Romana II though. Weren't they partnered in real life? But the more modern parings - Rose, Donna, Clara - they weren't particularly believable, and as I've said, a real immortal wouldn't find it worth all of the bother.

 

[Pyan]

There was some chemistry between Tom Baker and Romana II though. Weren't they partnered in real life?

Yes, Tom Baker was married to Lalla Ward, Romana II, albeit only for 18 months or so.

 

[Ursa major]

For a mortal to become involved romantically with an immortal

The companions may not be immortal, but some of them have seemed to be "special" in some way or other (e.g. being followed around time and space by a very light snow shower).

 

[BT Jones]

Well, this one was far from perfect, but it certainly grabbed me from the get-go. You could see Moffat's fingerprints all over it, including the 'Wait, who turned out the lights!' style reveal that a particular character had met their end. This was a lot closer to a classic Who episode, and the acting was spot on (annoying girl aside), although Gatwa has been written to perhaps be a little over-emotional without having quite earned it yet; I think I will always prefer the alien aloofness of Capaldi's doctor. Also, an interesting (and entirely believable) war-as-business moral. Easily the best of the season so far, with an interesting tease on the snow / Ruby thread. So far, I'm finding it a notch above 13th doctor season 1, (and several above the execrable seasons 2 & 3), and maybe on par with 12th doctor season 3.

 

[pogopossum]

I appreciate the commentary. Episodes 1 & 2 put me off to the level that when I put on the Disney feed, which is our access to Who and he pops up, the spouse asks "Aren't you going to watch it? and I make a rude noise.
This is from someone who literally watched episode 1, Series 1 one at its first broadcast, Teenagers could put up with a lot.
Ncuti has been the only saving grace.
I'll try it.