Doctor Who Season 9 - brief thoughts
May. 31st, 2016 11:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bearshortyAlmost the whole season was in two parters, with one standalone episode and one three parter. The titles were very clever. And almost the whole season is about Clara' dying or threat of her death and the Doctor willing to bend time and mess everything to prevent it. And it is about Clara pretty much becoming the Doctor. I saw Episode 1 when it aired but wasn't able to watch the rest. It was much better to watch the whole season all at once.
1. Magician's Apprentice/Witches Familiar - Great start to the season. I adored Missy to pieces and this was the best use of the Master I have seen yet (I haven't seen a lot of Old Who, so this comment is just for New Who). I really understand the relationship between her and the Doctor better. And it was great to see Davros and that foundation of the Doctor saving Davros as a boy and the Doctor thinking he didn't try to save him. When I saw the first episode during the original run, I was confused by the medieval scenes. But now, I saw all the prequels before the episode, so it made much more sense. I also didn't believe that Missy and Clara were killed. Standout moment- Clara inside the Dalek and Missy making her say phrases so we can understand that Dalek's operate on extreme emotions. "They yell Exterminate to recharge their batteries" Ha.
2. Under the Lake/Before the Flood - These episodes were good but I realized when I started watching the first one that I'm getting tired of "crew stuck of space station/sealed research vessel/enclosed space with an attacking monster" Waters of Mars was pretty much the same as were many other episodes. And this is weird for me to realize since "Midnight" remains my all time favorite Doctor Who episode. But there it wasn't really about the monster. In this one, I liked the guest crew (especially the woman who was geeking out about the Doctor) but the story just felt repetitive to me. I figured out way before the narrative told us that it would be the Doctor inside that statis box. So the whole episode wasn't too surprising.
3. The Girl Who Died/The Woman Who Lived - I really loved the first episode and who Ashildr was. A girl, who was different and knew it. A girl, who told stories, who loved her father and her village. And who helped defeat the enemy at the expense of her life. And I loved the explanation of why 12 looks like the Roman guy (clever of the show and great to see Donna again). I didn't understand why this technology then doesn't make everyone immortal. Are all the Mari immortal? Just humans? No one else used this medical device.) Anyhow, the set up is great and this episode stands on its own very well. But the next episode didn't really held to the promise of that set up. At least, I wasn't a fan of the direction it took. I didn't care much for who Ashildr becomes as an Immortal, she doesn't retain any of her previous qualities. That lion was a little silly too. (I kept thinking of Highlander - the TV show - through out. Both because of the premise and the flashbacks of that show. Highlander explored all these themes of immortality better without the characters losing their joy of life). Good reference to Captain Jack, though. The Doctor didn't left him behind and didn't want to travel with him as soon as he felt the immortality. so good call back.
4. Zygon Invasion/Zygon Inversion - This was the reverse of the previous two-parter. I found Part 1 weird at parts - like why random village in vaguely Eastern European country? why New Mexico? Why are those soldiers so stupid? It was just such a set-up episode. It was pretty typical "Doctor Who" but not standout. I did not for a moment think Kate or the Doctor or Clara would die. Part 2, on the other hand, was much more compelling. And unexpected in a lot of ways. The whole scene with two boxes and the Doctor persuading all to stand down and not for the first time, was really on point. These episodes tried a little too hard to make a metaphor about migrants, good science fiction is a little more subtle. But by the end of the two parter, it was worth it to watch it. And I'm glad Osgood is still alive in some way.
5. Sleep No More - such a terrible episode. First of all, I'm just not a fan of "documentary episodes" with found footage, especially when the screen flickers every five seconds. It makes it hard to concentrate. And I'm getting tired of trapped in closed space with a monster stories. But the plot also made no sense, nor did the monster and I was just really, really bored. This episode didn't have any redeeming moments for me. The rest of the season was great but this episode I would just skip.
6. Face the Raven/Heaven Sent/Hell Bent - While the first and third part were ok and good to watch, Heaven Sent was outstanding and one of the best episodes of Doctor Who I've seen. It kicks such an emotional punch once we realize that the Doctor is dying deliberately to repeat the process to hit that wall just a little more. He does it over and over again, and his grief is fresh since it is only one day from him since Clara died. Plus the callbacks to how the Doctor is clever and how he checks gravity or accesses his environment from seemingly random movements was really fun. This episode was just Peter Capaldi, alone, sustaining the story. I do love him and I'm so happy he gets to play the Doctor.
Another part I found great - Clara calling the Doctor out for trying to erase her memory. How dare he make that choice. Something Donna would have liked, I'm sure. Overall, I'm ok with Clara's fate to pretty much be the Doctor while being sort of dead. And travelling with Ashildr, who seemed much more human in those final moments that I started to have hope for her. I would have been ok with Clara dying too - the story was clear that she got very reckless after Danny's death. I liked Clara (much more than Amy) but she wasn't my favorite (Donna would always have the top spot for me).
7. Husbands of River Song - fantastic and fun and fabulous. 12 and River have such chemistry. I believe this romance so much more than with 11. Maybe because both are older and mature and can play on each other's level. Doctor's joy at getting to do his bigger-on-the-inside speech right after his dismay that River periodically takes the Tardis for a spin, to his eyes during River's rant that the Doctor couldn't possible love her. And, River's realization that the Doctor was right there after all. And sort-of happy ending of lots of time together. There was just so much silliness that I often giggled in pure delight.
1. Magician's Apprentice/Witches Familiar - Great start to the season. I adored Missy to pieces and this was the best use of the Master I have seen yet (I haven't seen a lot of Old Who, so this comment is just for New Who). I really understand the relationship between her and the Doctor better. And it was great to see Davros and that foundation of the Doctor saving Davros as a boy and the Doctor thinking he didn't try to save him. When I saw the first episode during the original run, I was confused by the medieval scenes. But now, I saw all the prequels before the episode, so it made much more sense. I also didn't believe that Missy and Clara were killed. Standout moment- Clara inside the Dalek and Missy making her say phrases so we can understand that Dalek's operate on extreme emotions. "They yell Exterminate to recharge their batteries" Ha.
2. Under the Lake/Before the Flood - These episodes were good but I realized when I started watching the first one that I'm getting tired of "crew stuck of space station/sealed research vessel/enclosed space with an attacking monster" Waters of Mars was pretty much the same as were many other episodes. And this is weird for me to realize since "Midnight" remains my all time favorite Doctor Who episode. But there it wasn't really about the monster. In this one, I liked the guest crew (especially the woman who was geeking out about the Doctor) but the story just felt repetitive to me. I figured out way before the narrative told us that it would be the Doctor inside that statis box. So the whole episode wasn't too surprising.
3. The Girl Who Died/The Woman Who Lived - I really loved the first episode and who Ashildr was. A girl, who was different and knew it. A girl, who told stories, who loved her father and her village. And who helped defeat the enemy at the expense of her life. And I loved the explanation of why 12 looks like the Roman guy (clever of the show and great to see Donna again). I didn't understand why this technology then doesn't make everyone immortal. Are all the Mari immortal? Just humans? No one else used this medical device.) Anyhow, the set up is great and this episode stands on its own very well. But the next episode didn't really held to the promise of that set up. At least, I wasn't a fan of the direction it took. I didn't care much for who Ashildr becomes as an Immortal, she doesn't retain any of her previous qualities. That lion was a little silly too. (I kept thinking of Highlander - the TV show - through out. Both because of the premise and the flashbacks of that show. Highlander explored all these themes of immortality better without the characters losing their joy of life). Good reference to Captain Jack, though. The Doctor didn't left him behind and didn't want to travel with him as soon as he felt the immortality. so good call back.
4. Zygon Invasion/Zygon Inversion - This was the reverse of the previous two-parter. I found Part 1 weird at parts - like why random village in vaguely Eastern European country? why New Mexico? Why are those soldiers so stupid? It was just such a set-up episode. It was pretty typical "Doctor Who" but not standout. I did not for a moment think Kate or the Doctor or Clara would die. Part 2, on the other hand, was much more compelling. And unexpected in a lot of ways. The whole scene with two boxes and the Doctor persuading all to stand down and not for the first time, was really on point. These episodes tried a little too hard to make a metaphor about migrants, good science fiction is a little more subtle. But by the end of the two parter, it was worth it to watch it. And I'm glad Osgood is still alive in some way.
5. Sleep No More - such a terrible episode. First of all, I'm just not a fan of "documentary episodes" with found footage, especially when the screen flickers every five seconds. It makes it hard to concentrate. And I'm getting tired of trapped in closed space with a monster stories. But the plot also made no sense, nor did the monster and I was just really, really bored. This episode didn't have any redeeming moments for me. The rest of the season was great but this episode I would just skip.
6. Face the Raven/Heaven Sent/Hell Bent - While the first and third part were ok and good to watch, Heaven Sent was outstanding and one of the best episodes of Doctor Who I've seen. It kicks such an emotional punch once we realize that the Doctor is dying deliberately to repeat the process to hit that wall just a little more. He does it over and over again, and his grief is fresh since it is only one day from him since Clara died. Plus the callbacks to how the Doctor is clever and how he checks gravity or accesses his environment from seemingly random movements was really fun. This episode was just Peter Capaldi, alone, sustaining the story. I do love him and I'm so happy he gets to play the Doctor.
Another part I found great - Clara calling the Doctor out for trying to erase her memory. How dare he make that choice. Something Donna would have liked, I'm sure. Overall, I'm ok with Clara's fate to pretty much be the Doctor while being sort of dead. And travelling with Ashildr, who seemed much more human in those final moments that I started to have hope for her. I would have been ok with Clara dying too - the story was clear that she got very reckless after Danny's death. I liked Clara (much more than Amy) but she wasn't my favorite (Donna would always have the top spot for me).
7. Husbands of River Song - fantastic and fun and fabulous. 12 and River have such chemistry. I believe this romance so much more than with 11. Maybe because both are older and mature and can play on each other's level. Doctor's joy at getting to do his bigger-on-the-inside speech right after his dismay that River periodically takes the Tardis for a spin, to his eyes during River's rant that the Doctor couldn't possible love her. And, River's realization that the Doctor was right there after all. And sort-of happy ending of lots of time together. There was just so much silliness that I often giggled in pure delight.