The Doctor's Daughter

[TVC15]

Well, the early reviews were right.  The big problem with the episode was that you basically didn't give a fuck about the two factions that were the focus of the episode.  The Doctor's daughter stuff was actually handled well.  I think it was somewhat clever how it was all basically resolved before the opening credits started.  I was certain upon hearing the episode's premise that it would be an hour long "is she or isn't she?" thing.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

So, at the end of the episode, when she regenerates, why doesn't her appearance change?

[close]

Next week's episode is a historical one featuring Agatha Christie, so I'm sure it will be boner academy.

[Van Cruncheon]

especially if it is set in a remote, spooky manse

and features a pseudo-cthulhu theme

[TVC15]

There's definitely a giant mansion.  With giant alien wasps.  It's also apparently a comedy episode.

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I thought it was one of the better episodes of the Tennant era.  For the first time I actually liked Martha.....which isn't to say that I disliked her before, just that she felt more like a cog in the system -- just someone necessary to keep things moving along.  The scene where her Hath buddy died had some emotional resonance, even though Agayama Freeman did her best to ruin it with some cornball acting and the director made the situation stupid with awkward staging.  Is she a main character on Torchwood S2 now?

I certainly liked hearing more about the end of the Time War, even if it told us nothing that we didn't already really know.  The writers have been teasing us with the details, and I hope they have a grand reveal planned sooner or later.

We are still looking at 2 years without a proper Doctor Who series -- it looks like the showrunners are keeping their options open for filling up that time with side stories.  While I kinda like Jenny, I do hope they do a spinoff with Sally Sparrow instead.

[TVC15]

I dunno, border.  I agree with the fan complaints--this should have been the two parter, rather than the competent, if by the books, Sontaran story.  If they had an extra episode to further develop the two factions, I think it would have seemed less messy.

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I dunno if you are ever going to develop much empathy for a couple of clone armies -- particularly if one faction is a bunch of identical freakjobs that the audience can't understand.  At the same time, I would rather have seen this stretched into a two-parter than the dreadful 2-parter that preceded it.

To me it feels like Planet of the Ood is the one that should have been the 2-parter.  That's the episode that seemed a bit rushed to me.

[TVC15]

I dunno if you are ever going to develop much empathy for a couple of clone armies -- particularly if one faction is a bunch of identical freakjobs that the audience can't understand.  At the same time, I would rather have seen this stretched into a two-parter than the dreadful 2-parter that preceded it.

I dunno.  The main plot of this episode probably would have been fine had it been the only important thing in the episode, but the whole affair seemed rather rushed what with them trying to fit in the Doctor background shit and the daughter stuff.

I liked a significant portion of the Sontaran 2 parter.  They totally fumbled the second episode, but at the same time I didn't hate it.  I think the Ood don't get a 2 parter because they already had one.  Mike from the Young Ones played the head Sontaran, lol.

[border]

Fitting in the details about the Time War and the Doctor's life would have been fine in a single episode.  I guess some more Doctor-Daughter bonding time would have been better though.  It does feel like he develops an attachment to Jenny really really fast.   At the same time you have the sense that Jenny is going to die anyway, so maybe more relationship development would have felt boring and superfluous because you knew she was going to bite it.

If anything that is kind of the problem with being a fan, and knowing the show's long established tone.  From Blink to Girl in the Fireplace to Voyage of the Damned, we've seen so many sub-characters killed or discarded that it's become an expectation that any non-companion is going to go away within the space of 1 or 2 episodes.

[TVC15]

Anyway, the rest of the season:

Next episode:  Unicorn and the Wasp -- should be awesome
Next 2 episodes: Moffat 2 parter - guaranteed awesome
Next 4 epidsodes: Terrible RTD finale

I'm kinda good with them taking a season off.  I am kinda getting tired of RTD's bullshit, and I am hoping the year off means he is stepping down and someone is replacing him.  Even if he is the one that comes back, at least the year off will have given me rest time.

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As reviled as Last of the Time Lords was, I don't think RTD finales are guaranteed groaners.  The S1 and S2 finales are solid episodes, even though they aren't particularly outstanding or memorable.

I'm certainly looking forward to the Steven Moffat episodes more than the finale though.  I doubt it'll ever happen unless RTD tanks the ratings, but it sure would be awesome if they just handed the show over to Moffat.

[TVC15]

As reviled as Last of the Time Lords was, I don't think RTD finales are guaranteed groaners.  The S1 and S2 finales are solid episodes, even though they aren't particularly outstanding or memorable.

I think season 1 is the only one that isn't a total let down.  I guess this season's will be the tie-breaker.

I'm certainly looking forward to the Steven Moffat episodes more than the finale though.  I doubt it'll ever happen unless RTD tanks the ratings, but it sure would be awesome if they just handed the show over to Moffat.

He does write, far and away, the best Who episodes, but I would like to see Moffat do something that I know he is personally interested in.  That may very well be Doctor Who, I guess, but I'd kinda like to see something original from him.  We know he is a very talented writer outside of his Doctor Who work, so I'd like to see where his head could take him.

Moffat is about to win his third Hugo in 3 years for Doctor Who, btw:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award_for_Best_Dramatic_Presentation%2C_Short_Form

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You have seen all 4 seasons of Coupling, right?  It is pretty much a British version of Friends, but still pretty strong.

Those Hugo listings of winners/nominees are crazy.  You would think that since the vote was split between 2/3 different Doctor Who episodes each year, that it would tank the chances of ANY Who episode winning -- yet the best ones rise to the top every time.

Is the S2 finale really considered to be that bad?  From the Wikipedia entry, it looks like it was well-appreciated:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_%28Doctor_Who%29

The episode is one of the most popular Doctor Who episodes since the show's revival. It was nominated along with "Army of Ghosts" for the 2007 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form, which was won by the fourth episode in the series, "The Girl in the Fireplace". As of March 2008, it shares the new series' highest Audience Appreciation rating of 89 with "The Parting of the Ways", and is favoured by most critics for both the Cybermen–Dalek conflict and the farewell scene between the Doctor and Rose.

The only complaint I ever heard was that it was uncharacteristic of the Daleks to talk smack to the Cybermen......but then I don't really keep up with any of the fan communities.  I certainly have a much better recollection of Doomsday than I do The Parting of the Ways (if that says anything).

[TVC15]

Those Hugo listings are pretty crazy.  You would think that since the vote was split between 2/3 different Doctor Who episodes each year, that it would tank the chances of ANY Who episode winning -- yet the best ones rise to the top every time/

Is the S2 finale really considered to be that bad?  From the Wikipedia entry, it looks like it was well-appreciated:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_%28Doctor_Who%29

The episode is one of the most popular Doctor Who episodes since the show's revival. It was nominated along with "Army of Ghosts" for the 2007 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form, which was won by the fourth episode in the series, "The Girl in the Fireplace". As of March 2008, it shares the new series' highest Audience Appreciation rating of 89 with "The Parting of the Ways", and is favoured by most critics for both the Cybermen–Dalek conflict and the farewell scene between the Doctor and Rose.

The only complaint I ever heard was that it was uncharacteristic of the Daleks to talk smack to the Cybermen......but then I don't really keep up with any of the fan communities.  I certainly have a much better recollection of Doomsday than I do The Parting of the Ways (if that says anything).

The episode was incredibly hyped, first of all, which probably explains its popularity.  There were like 4 Radio Times collectors covers advertising Cybermen vs Daleks, and I bet they even drew lapsed Who fans from the woodwork.  Of course, in the actual episode, there really wasn't that much Dalkeks vs Cybermen.  On the Doctor Who Forum, the hardcore consider it a failure, though a lot of people seem to get cigarillo weepy of the departure of Rose scenes, which I do think were well done.

And also, the season 2 finale is kinda good, but only in comparison to the humongous letdown of 3's finale.  Parting of the Ways was pretty good, Doomsday was a disappointment with a high note, and Last of the Time Lords was a disaster.  RTD needs to at least let someone else try a finale.

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What are the common complaints about Doomsday?  While I don't think it's a standout episode, it certainly doesn't seem so offensive that it should draw ire from longtime fans.

On an unrelated note, the Hugo in 2004 went to "Gollum's Acceptance Speech at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards".....beating out 2 of Firefly's better episodes.  Even ignoring the fact that an acceptance speech for some cable channel's sham-awards should not even be eligible for honors.....how the hell did that happen?  As much as I like to see Moffat honored, shit like that makes me question the Hugo's credibility anyway.

[TVC15]

What are the common complaints about Doomsday?  While I don't think it's a standout episode, it certainly doesn't seem so offensive that it should draw ire from longtime fans.

It's impossible to dig into the archives now, because the forum has been rebooted since then, but the main complaint has always been some variant of "it didn't deliver what was promised."  There was no real Dalek vs. Cybermen conflict as promised.  It was a tiny thing resolved before it could have been awesome.  That episode was REALLY HYPED before airing.

On an unrelated note, the Hugo in 2004 went to "Gollum's Acceptance Speech at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards".....beating out 2 of Firefly's better episodes.  Even ignoring the fact that an acceptance speech for some cable channel's sham-awards should not even be eligible for honors.....how the hell did that happen?  As much as I like to see Moffat honored, shit like that makes me question the Hugo's credibility anyway.

I always wondered about that, too.  Then again, Hugo didn't do the more popular thing by awarding terrible (but popular) Crapplestar episodes (aside from the one that aired pre-Who).  It's a newish award so I am guessing their criteria are clusterfucked.  I say give it to Moffat every year.

[Bloodwake]

The people didn't upload it onto Veoh until recently, so downloading right now.

[etiolate]

This episode was just major plot points shoved next to each other without much explanation or development. Yikes.