Doctor Who - Discussion Thread III (no untagged future spoilers)

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There's more character stuff there for the Dr related to the toy soldier symbol that can be analysed, but i can't be bothered to compose my thoughts on the subject at the minute.

Reply 3781

username1066741

Original post by Feefifofum

Interesting. Enjoyed most of it, but tbh I'm not actually that sure what happened. They all saw the blanket monster, so was it not real after all? I prefer episodes with more of a resolution.

Also, how did Clara just find Gallifrey?! That's not supposed to be possible, surely.

I do agree with the whole plot hole (or perhaps just and audience misunderstanding) about the monster under the blanket, but the barn isn't necessarily on Gallifrey, they never stated that

Reply 3782

Aula

Original post by Feefifofum

Interesting. Enjoyed most of it, but tbh I'm not actually that sure what happened. They all saw the blanket monster, so was it not real after all? I prefer episodes with more of a resolution.

I actually rather liked the lack of resolution there. I don't usually, but I think it really worked. It could be a creature or it could just have been another child.

Also, how did Clara just find Gallifrey?! That's not supposed to be possible, surely.

This is what I thought, but maybe there's an explanation. I suspect we won't find out though. They'll probably just gloss right over it.

Previous episode link: Midnight? The section at the end of the universe reminded me of that episode. Or am I reading into things now?

Reply 3783

Feefifofum

Original post by Aula

I actually rather liked the lack of resolution there. I don't usually, but I think it really worked. It could be a creature or it could just have been another child.

:iiam:

This is what I thought, but maybe there's an explanation. I suspect we won't find out though. They'll probably just gloss right over it.

You're probably right. It does make the blanket creature... thing more creepy when we don't know exactly what it was, or what wrote "listen" on the doctor's chalkboard!

Previous episode link: Midnight? The section at the end of the universe reminded me of that episode. Or am I reading into things now?

I thought that too, very strong references to it - alone on an empty planet, but then knocking starts from outside...

Also references to Day of the Moon with the Doctor and Clara wandering around a children's home in the dark.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3784

fluteflute

Original post by Feefifofum

what wrote "listen" on the doctor's chalkboard!

I think (at the end) we saw the Doctor writing it?

Reply 3785

Teddysmith123

I thought this could have been a really good 'scary' episode like blink, but it was childish and I did dislike how it was all about clara's relationship - apart from the seeing the doctor as a child at the end. I am also disappointed by the lack of action in the recent episodes - where is the infamous 'RUN' that every doctor has? :dontknow:

For me the last few episodes have been more about clara than the doctor, and if clara was an interesting companion I probably wouldn't have cared; but I want to see more from the doctor! I had hoped this episode would be good and the first half was, but as soon as they went to the end of the universe and met orson pink it kind of went downhill. They could have created so much with this idea but they went down the childish route of no it's just fear - this is why they need to change moffat as head writer it's not fair to perter capaldi who is a fab actor or to the fans of the show!

Rant over!

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3786

Aarz

Original post by Feefifofum

Not only that, but it referenced back to the first words the 4th Doctor said:

""Typical Sontaran attitude…stop Linx... perverting the course of human history..."

and, when Clara was talking to The young Doctor, she reference a quote from Unearthly Child which the 1st Doctor said:

"fear makes companions of us all"

Some people are a bit confused by it. One thing to take note of, this is not so much an actual Doctor Who story, where the days need saving, no, this was MUCH more. This was a character piece, a character piece for The Doctor. It's main focus in on fear. The psychology of fear, and what it can do to a person.

The Doctor creates a theory that there is something living in the dark because he is scared of the dark and wants to justify it. So, what could be the evidence for his theory:

* A monster in the sheets or a kid playing a prank?
* An invisible spectre writing on a chalkboard or The Doctor doing so, then forgetting
* A door being opening my some kind of monster or an airlock opening after being unlocked?
* Orson's monster or just an irrational fear of being the last person in the universe?

At the end, it's revealed that his theory began with Clara comforting The Doctor as a child, where he believed it was a dream.

This episode was genius because it was so unique. It has allowed us to have a better glimpse as The Doctor's character.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3787

Feefifofum

Original post by fluteflute

I think (at the end) we saw the Doctor writing it?

Must have looked away at that point - thanks!

Reply 3788

Aarz

Original post by Teddysmith123

where is the infamous 'RUN' that every doctor has?

Into the Dalek and Robot of Sherwood had the infamous "Run". Keep in mind, the quote "Run" only came popular during, and after, 2005. The Classic Who didn't have it as a main quotation. Also, remember, not every episode has to have it in.

Original post by Teddysmith123

I did dislike how it was all about clara's relationship

The episode wasn't all about Clara's relationship. But, having said that, that is going to be a big part of this series, so there is no surprise there. But, I don't think the dating scenes diminished in anyway the scenes that were referring back to fear, and Capaldi's Doctor. It also added more questions about Danny.

Original post by Teddysmith123

if clara was an interesting companion I probably wouldn't have cared; but I want to see more from the doctor!

Gosh! You're going to hate episode 9. It's just Clara as the main character. Very Doctor light. :tongue:

Original post by Teddysmith123

but they went down the childish route of no it's just fear

You think that was a "childish route"? Really? Fear is a very good topic to discuss, and it's not just children who have fear. Everyone has it - young to elderly. I'm in my 20's, and even I got scared by the blanket, face in the mirror, knock on the doors, and the slight glimpse of darkness entering. I'm sure most of people would agree it was one of the most mature and adult stories Doctor Who has really done. The script was incredibly multilayered.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3789

Feefifofum

On another note, were there any references to Missy/The Promised Land this episode? I don't remember there being any, for the first time this series. It's also the first episode of this series in which no-one has died, if that is at all relevant to the story arc.

Reply 3790

St. Brynjar

I thought the episode had a lot of potential but was ultimately a bit disappointing. I quite like Danny Pink so far but Clara doesn't really do it for me as a companion, and I don't see the Doctor as the main character right now which should always be an issue. Still, plenty of time to rectify that!

Reply 3791

Jean-Luc Picard

loved it

more delving into the past/persona of the Doctor, very clever, loved the whole fear makes you stronger thing as well. thought Clara was much better in this episode as well.

Spoiler

Reply 3792

Andy98

Original post by Feefifofum

That's where the ship was headed

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Reply 3793

Scienceisgood

Original post by Teddysmith123

They have stated there will be a lot less running with this Doctor. =l

Reply 3794

Jean-Luc Picard

Original post by Scienceisgood

They have stated there will be a lot less running with this Doctor. =l

no offence, but who cares? how does it matter at all how much he runs?

Reply 3795

KingStannis

The theme is fear, and fear itself. So we have to look at the hallmarks of how fear is constructed in fiction and in real life.

Fear in both mediums is generated through uncertainty; both the actual fear in real life, and how fear is presented within art. I think that the episode tried to present the idea of fear itself in absence of anything else. notice how every time fear was presented in the episode it is heavily cliched; the knocking at the door, the typical creaks which are used in films to create fear within an audience. But we get no clear object to this; the construction of the fear is the end result itself. I think the episode characterises the externalisation of the internal fears of the Dr. Fear's suggested by Clara to be a constant companion to the young Dr, and this is presented I think by framing this remark at the start of the episode with the Dr's musing at being alone. We have seen in prior episodes his isolation from Clara develop, and we've seen through the new series the Dr's isolation from humanity. I've talked about how we saw this in the previous episodes of this series. I see this episode as a continuation of this theme.

With this in mind, I think that the thing underneath the blanket is a question that the text deliberately does not answer. Because, just as fear is constructed to be about uncertainty, the open question left by the text here self referentially presents the very construction of fear the episode creates. So it does not matter what the figure is, because the lack of resolution has a purpose in itself. I think that questioning what it is, then, is meaningless.

Going back to the Dr's fear of being alone, the idea of fear being the Dr's companion starts at the end of the episode, where the Dr is alone in a barn and has his "dream", and fear being described as being his constant companion by Clara. Considering that the Dr is alone, as we've established in previous episodes, his fear is his "constant companion" and shapes who he is. If he always alone, he lives in a state of fear, and his every action is within fear. Therefore his perception of reality is through the lense of his fear, and this shapes the way he relates to the world. His idea about an undetectable creature is merely a metaphor for this aspect of himself.

I think we can link this theme to the idea of the Dr becoming increasingly isolated from Clara. I think this is an episode about the Dr's psychology.

Well, that's my interpretation, for what it's worth.

Reply 3796

Unibuster325

I loved it. Like with most of Steven Moffat's episodes, I think this is going to go down as a classic. The premise was intriguing, it featured a interesting glimpse at the Doctor's childhood which raised more questions about our favourite Time Lord and Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman were at their absolute best.

Reply 3797

Teddysmith123

Original post by Jean-Luc Picard

no offence, but who cares? how does it matter at all how much he runs?

Its not how much he runs but the latest episodes have been slow on action!

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Reply 3798

PillsIV

The problem I have with doctor who, Is it doesn't know what it is, a kids show or an adult show.

You have great episodes like the angel one or the one last night about being alone. Then you have ones like Peter Capaldi's first which was a dinosaur.

I mean come on!!