S08.E02: Into The Dalek

[Ms Lark]

I just think that the dialogue and actions  in this episode Matt Smith and David Tennant would have been able to pull off as eccentric and slightly frenetic. Capaldi just has too serious of a demeanor and almost too much gravitas.

I agree. I also thought, "Too much gravitas. The Doctor seems to have lost his sense of humor." For me, that's an enormous loss for the character. He can be old -- I'm old, not a problem -- but has to bring that bit of wimsey into the mix. Matt had it in spades, 9 had it, Tennant found it. Hope Capaldi finds his...

 

I also would have liked the soldier as companion. Or Danny Pink. I just can't warm to Clara.

[Maelstrom]

I still don't like this part-time companion gig of Clara's....

Yes to your entire post, Llywela, but especially this. I've never really watched any of Clara's episodes (only two specials, I think) so this part-time thing came as a surprise to me. Seems to me that Moffatt wants to make Clara so special that she gets to keep her normal life. But it doesn't even make sense for a number of reasons, as you've pointed out.

[KatWay]

I thought the episode wasn't that well written, but I actually like Capaldi's Doctor more than I liked Matt Smith's. No fault of MS personally, who is a fine actor, but he was always too "on" for me. He seemed less alien to me than a human on crack. This one though, I completely buy as a timelord.

 

I also never liked Clara much, but she has been better written or just plays off Capaldi's Doctor better, in these last two episodes. Their dynamic is more enjoyable to me and she seems to have an actual personality other than just vaguely chirpy. I like that they are working with the teacher thing and I like how she is the voice of reason to Capaldi's madman, in a way. And all non-romantic at that!

 

I do hope the writing gets better...but it's Moffat, so.

 

Danny Pink is HOT. Way to go, Clara.

[ABay]

random chance, I agree with everything you said except that I like PC as the Doctor.

Edited August 31, 2014 by ABay

[Lugal]

The part time companion thing annoys me as well, I think back to Sarah Jane's advice to Rose in School Reunion to basicly go and take the full experience of seeing the universe with the Doctor, because it's worth it even with the inevitable parting.  Now we have Clara (and to a lesser extent Amy and Rory) who has her normal life and only goes wth the Doctor when he shows up for the adventure of the week, and then gets back and resumes her noral life.

 

"Yeah I'll go with you and see stars being born and traveling through history and meeting aliens, but I want to be back in time for work tomorrow." --said no one, ever.

[Mabinogia]

And all non-romantic at that!

 

 

Imagine that! The Doctor having a platonic relationship with Generic Pretty 20-something! It's a revelation. But seriously, I do like their dynamic.

 

I couldn't help wondering if Pink is Blue's brother, the one she said just died (I believe that's what she said. I find the background sound too loud to often hear what anyone is saying) and that once Clara goes back to real life, Pink and Blue become his new companions. Or not. I personally don't need a new companion because I don't hate Clara, but she's actually new to me so maybe she will work on my last nerve eventually.

 

I found this ep boring, but I usually find the Daleks boring. I just don't see what is so scary about a trash can with a plunger and an egg beater for arms gratingly repeating one word over and over again.

[Enigma X]

If I never see another Dalek or Cybermen episode it would be too soon. I just don't enjoy them anymore. 

 

Sorry, I also don't like the new attitude of the Doctor. Around the Web, many people are saying that his coldness is putting him back in touch with his "alieness." I dunno. I never met an alien, so don't know if that is a universal alien trait. Lastly, I think Capaldi is a fine actor. I just don't see him as the Doctor. The first episode left me on the fence; this one proves that he is not right for me. I would have preferred Hurt as the new Doctor. I would have really loved McGann to be given the chance at a full season/series as the Doctor.

 

The writing of Clara is so inconsistentent. I don't blame the actress. Can someone explain to us all how the splinter selves work. Can she or can she not remember? If not, why?

 

I enjoyed the secondary characters in the episode (not Missy) more than the main. Pink and Blue (girl and boy, but stereotypes switched?--knowing Moffat's stock in anvils, this is most likely) intrigued me. I am sure they are connected. Will the payoff be worth the initial intrigue though?

[Writing Wrongs]

I fell asleep during this episode and didn't bother rewinding my DVR. I'm so tired of The Daleks. I just can't get scared by a whisk and a plunger.

 

These last 2 episodes haven't been to my taste, but next week's looks fun.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Writing Wrongs

[alias1]

I really liked Clara, right from the beginning, and even to last week's episode.  I found it believable that she would be upset at a new Doctor.  Not only a new face, but a really different personality.  It was maybe a little overdone, especially with the age thing, but tolerable to me.  But this week she really grated on me.  And it wasn't just Clara.  EVERYTHING seemed forced.  Clara slapping the doctor came out of nowhere.  Journey wanting to join the Doctor came out of nowhere.   Clara breezing off to her date so nonchalantly struck me as suddenly very shallow.  As previously said, the episode was dour, and yet it lacked depth (not that Moffat is good at depth).  I want to like PC but so far the writing for him is not memorable and it doesn't help that his delivery is very monotone (I do have my closed captioning on).  I really hope next week's episode gives me something to cheer about.

[Florinaldo]

This was certainly a step up from last week's undisciplined mess; now that the post-regeneration confusion is out of the way, they could get on with a real story and a strong menace, even if it had to be the overused and overworked Daleks. Although actually getting into one of them is quite an ingenious idea, though it meant covering some of the same ground as "Dalek", with some twists here and there as if this were a slightly distorted mirror version of the other episode (the "good Dalek" line for example goes through a very ironic shift in meaning).

 

Self-cannibalising is a frequent enough occurrence in long-running TV shows, especially SF and Fantasy ones I think, so it's no surprise that DW will do it from time to time. I am glad that this attempt was on the whole enjoyable and very watchable, despite some plot holes and continuity problems; I don't think it will stand out as a classic though, but it will probably bear an infrequent revisit.

 

This series' linking arc seems to be the big question of who Missy is exactly; last week she sounded like a stalker, calling the Doctor her "boyfriend", but this week yielded no new information as far as I saw.

 

Am I the only one who has trouble understanding Capaldi sometimes?

For my part I said to my friends at one point that having an actor who clearly articulates his dialogue, even in the shouty and loud passages, was a welcome change for the show; Matt Smith often seemed to be muttering to himself while Tennant swallowed at least one syllable in three.

 

I quite like the gravitas Capaldi brings to this incarnation; he reminds me of Jon Pertwee, even down to the choice of costumes. It is a welcome contrast to the previous Doctor who in the last season skirted dangerously with the hamminess of number Four (and some hints of the silly number Seven). One of the unique qualities of the show is the clear differences between each succeeding versions of the Doctor and it has been one of the factors ensuring its long run because it acts as a built-in renewal mechanism. I would not be suprised if they introduce some humour into Capaldi's portrayal, albeit darker and more trenchant than his recent predecessors'.

Edited September 1, 2014 by Florinaldo

[Grammaeryn]

I found this ep boring, but I usually find the Daleks boring. I just don't see what is so scary about a trash can with a plunger and an egg beater for arms gratingly repeating one word over and over again.

Can I marry you for these sentences? If they looked like a Kitchenaid mixer with all the attachments, I would be scared! I am still enjoying Capaldi's doctor but I know I probably miss every other line. I also wouldn't mind seeing Journey again. I liked her first meeting with The Doctor. In general, I was intrigued with that future and would like to know more. Like do siblings get stationed together all the time to ensure a certain level of commitment? A couple of the lines about military and soldiers made me think, "Yeah, there would be uproar/boycotts of the show here in the U.S."

I really don't like how this Doctor is really limited with his references to the past. Gee, when did he get shrunk before? No mention. And I still dislike Clara but maybe Danny can give her a personality/purpose? Maybe Missy is collecting the dead people as evidence against The Doctor?

Edited August 31, 2014 by Grammaeryn

[starri]

 

Maybe she's another Time Lord who escaped the freezing, and her "Heaven" is actually her TARDIS?

My husband only partly-jokingly speculated that she's the Rani.

 

I don't know, I really wanted to like this episode, and there were moments that worked, especially the Female Red Shirt's speech before she sacrificed herself and the visual callback to Genesis of the Daleks when the Doctor was rewiring Rusty, but otherwise, it was just a big mess.

 

They've committed the same sin with the Daleks that Star Trek: Voyager did with the Borg.  They're just not scary anymore, especially when they try to humanize them.  The "resistance is futile!" really drove that point home.

[magdalene]

I wanted to add that one thing I really liked about this episode was the female soldier. So I am hoping the speculation about her is true.

 

I don't understand what the Doctors problem is with soldiers and the military in general. His antipathy towards them seems rather rigid and narrow-minded to me. Which is probably ironic in some way I am guessing.

[Joe]

 

I don't understand what the Doctors problem is with soldiers and the military in general. His antipathy towards them seems rather rigid and narrow-minded to me. Which is probably ironic in some way I am guessing.

While he's worked with the military on many occasions, it's usually only after they've locked him up and/or tried to execute him. It's easy to see why a thousand years of that would put him off.

[futurechemist]

I think part of my problem with the Daleks is that they've been destroyed and brought back so many times it's hard to know how powerful they are. I think I have their chronology straight now:

The Daleks are all destroyed in the Time War

A single Dalek somehow survived and 9 convinced it to self-destruct.

It turns out their was a super fleet of Daleks that was enslaving humanity. But Bad Wolf / Rose destroyed them all

It turns out the Cult of Skaro was hiding in the Void and they brought another army of Daleks with them. 10 sent the army back into the void, but the Cult escaped.

Dalek Caan rescued Davros from the Time War and together they rebuilt a huge army, but Meta-Crisis Doctor destroyed all of them.

It turns out a Dalek ship survived and they used 11 to make a rainbow army. Since then they've been a powerful force in the Universe and managed to last long enough to have an entire planet of broken Daleks, including some which shouldn't exist anymore.

Just in the revived version, the Daleks have been wiped out so many times it's hard to take them seriously.

[Mabinogia]

So the Daleks are the cockroaches of the universe?

 

Can I marry you for these sentences? If they looked like a Kitchenaid mixer with all the attachments, I would be scared!

 

I would be honored to marry you, but we are NOT putting that damned Kitchenaid mixer on the gift registry. They are scary. I am surprised that the Daleks haven't upgraded to something more in that vein. I mean what would be scarier than a giant sized pink Kitchenaid mixer flinging it's multiple beaters at you (I mean, just the idea of multiple beaters is pretty threatening!) yelling monotonously to "MIX AND BAKE, MIX AND BAKE!!!!" (it was the best I could rhyme with exterminate. It was a long day)

[benteen]

Can I marry you for these sentences? If they looked like a Kitchenaid mixer with all the attachments, I would be scared! I am still enjoying Capaldi's doctor but I know I probably miss every other line. I also wouldn't mind seeing Journey again. I liked her first meeting with The Doctor. In general, I was intrigued with that future and would like to know more. Like do siblings get stationed together all the time to ensure a certain level of commitment? A couple of the lines about military and soldiers made me think, "Yeah, there would be uproar/boycotts of the show here in the U.S."

I really don't like how this Doctor is really limited with his references to the past. Gee, when did he get shrunk before? No mention. And I still dislike Clara but maybe Danny can give her a personality/purpose? Maybe Missy is collecting the dead people as evidence against The Doctor?

 

He did reference the very first time he came to Skaro although it was really the second appearance of the Daleks (The Dalek Invasion of Earth) that got him committed to defending the Earth and being a Dalek fighter.

 

Yeah, the scripts contempt for soldiers wouldn't have gone over well in the US.  I'd venture to say Clara was lucky Danny didn't PTSD snap at her with her snippy line.

Edited August 31, 2014 by benteen

[Pattycake2]

I had to back up to try to understand the dialogue several times and I've watched British shows forever.  Closed captioning is a good idea. I was going along with the story enjoying myself until the soul melding crap with the universe surrounding Capaldi.  For crying out loud, it looked so cheesy.  I actually rolled my eyes.  What's wrong with exterminating the Daleks for the umpteenth time?  I know that Tennant by the end of his journey would have reached across the moon to grasp one of those slimy little tentacles in order to save a living creature and sigh in regret when rebuffed, but eleven didn't have a problem with it.  He arranged for the Silence to be killed off whenever possible. The Daleks are a plague in the universe, killing without discrimination or remorse.  Does a doctor show remorse in eradicating a plague?  I don't get the moral dilemma. 

 

So what's with the Doctor calling Clara old, etc.?  What's the purpose of it?

[Bill C.]

Whereas the season opener went more than a little over the top with its humor (the usage of boink! cemented that), this episode went running and screaming the other way.  Apart from Danny agonizing over whether to go for drinks with Clara, what humor we did get was Davros chair-black...and oddly Four-ish, after a fashion.

 

That said: I didn't hate the episode, even if it glossed over various things (I agree that Journey went way too fast from "I'm with a bloody loony" to "Take me with you, kind sir!") and brought back Garden Angel Missy a smidge too soon for my taste.  And I'm thinking that Rusty (oh, Moffat) not being able to deny his...nature?...in the face of the Doctor's grand plan to do just that might have been a sort of callback to The Waters of Mars, but that's probably just me.  I do wonder, however, if Twelve's apparent inherent jerkiness/single-bloody-mindedness could be or may begin backfiring a bit in the name of distancing him from his immediate predecessors.  It's easier to be a jerk when it's flavored with humor, after all.  Maybe next week's episode will be a more accurate gauge.

[shapeshifter]

So the Daleks are the cockroaches of the universe?

 

I would be honored to marry you, but we are NOT putting that damned Kitchenaid mixer on the gift registry. They are scary. I am surprised that the Daleks haven't upgraded to something more in that vein. I mean what would be scarier than a giant sized pink Kitchenaid mixer flinging it's multiple beaters at you (I mean, just the idea of multiple beaters is pretty threatening!) yelling monotonously to "MIX AND BAKE, MIX AND BAKE!!!!" (it was the best I could rhyme with exterminate. It was a long day)

LOL! If you were writing the scripts for the show, I would not have fallen asleep. These antique, pre-CGI, cockroach Daleks probably have AOL email addresses (sorry, Mom). They are just begging for a little fourth-wall breaking humor.

[BizBuzz]

Again, not reading previously, don't want to be biased.  But I can almost predict what most of you have said about this episode.  ::giggle::

 

I will say I enjoyed it, but I can say for certainty, it wont be my favorite of the season.  I am happy they got the Daleks out of the way early, I now don't have to look forward to dealing with them again.  I totally get that the Daleks are the Doctor's number one enemy.  I also get that we need to see them at least once a season.  So I will take this episode with that caveat ... it had to be at least once, glad that is over with.

 

I thought it an interesting notion to get into the inside with miniaturization.  Very FantasticVoyage-ish.  In fact, there were a lot of references to movie themes in this one.  The Borg and Into the Darkness (Star Trek).  I am losing it with others, will have to watch it again. 

 

I thought the Doctor was a little rough around the edges - but with my getting deeper into Classic Who, I am seeing this isn't so far off from the older Doctors.

 

Some choice lines!

 

She's my carer so I don't have to.

 

Imagine the most terrible place in the Universe, you don't have to, your looking at it.

 

My daughter (14) kept saying throughout the episode, this is too much like Dalek from Nine - even the whole you would make a good Dalek, and then you are a good Dalek.  I don't think I would have caught that. 

 

Ok, the Missy thing?  My daughter and I both are now sold it's the place Amy waited someone merged with the place that River is living after dying.  That is as far as we have gotten.  HA!

 

I give it a 6 out of 10, didn't hate it, but didn't love it.

[Elais]

I liked this ep and have no problem accepting Capaldi as the Doctor.  I hadn't realized how much this resembled the Dalek episode from the 9th Doctor's season, and I would be more than happy if this was the only appearance of them.  Some of his callousness in this does remind me of the older doctors, so I'm not too put off by it.

 

I had thought that one of the reasons the Doctor rejected Blue as a companion was not necessarily that he objected to the military, but that he needs a companion who will keep him human and a soldier isn't likely to do that.   That seems to be the one of the major points of the who companion idea.

[Lantern7]

I really don't like how this Doctor is really limited with his references to the past. Gee, when did he get shrunk before? No mention.

 

I think he did it in "The Invisible Enemy," which was K9's first appearance.

[angora]

Talk about deja vu.  I was reminded, variously, of Genesis of the Daleks, The Invisible Enemy, Dalek, Evolution of the Daleks, Let's Kill Hitler, Asylum of the Daleks, and Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS.  I liked a lot of the ideas, and I think it had the potential to really be something interesting, but it never quite came together.  A bit disappointed, 'cause I usually enjoy Phil Ford's work a lot.  Is it wrong that I automatically want to blame the writing problems (sloppiness, odd pacing, over-crammed with ideas) on Moffat?

 

I'm hesitant to pass too much judgment on Twelve yet.  I think this was a bad choice for his first "regular" story.  The Doctor's rarely been at his best against Daleks in the new series - he has too much baggage, gets clouded by anger/hatred/fear, and doesn't think as clearly as he ought to.  Sometimes it turns out cool (like Dalek) and sometimes it doesn't (like Victory of the Daleks,) but there's definitely a pattern, and it's not the first time a companion has needed to slap some sense into him (although usually not so literally) when it comes to the Daleks.  Then, throw in a bunch of soldiers, which tends to bring out the Doctor's sanctimonious side.  Didn't like it when Ten did it, don't like it now.  I get that there are Time War issues involved, but my goodness, he doesn't have to be so judgmental about it.  (Especially since it's not like his associates are all squeaky clean.  I mean, Vastra eats people - yes, they all seem to be serial killers, but still.  Eats.  People.)  All in all, hardly put Twelve's best foot forward.  Hopefully, next week will give a clearer indication of what he's really like.

Edited September 1, 2014 by angora

[benteen]

With Rusty, I was thinking of Hugh the Borg from Star Trek, although Hugh's personality is a LOT different from Rusty.  But some of the storyline is along that vain.

 

The episode I remember where the Doctor and his companions was shrunk was Planet of Giants, the first serial of the second season of Doctor Who all the way back in 1964.  Considering it was 50 years ago, they actually did a pretty good job with that one.

[AudienceofOne]

bit disappointed, 'cause I usually enjoy Phil Ford's work a lot.  Is it wrong that I automatically want to blame the writing problems (sloppiness, odd pacing, over-crammed with ideas) on Moffat?

 

 

I tender to you Wizards vs Aliens when other writers (RTD, I'm looking at you) weren't allowed to mess it up. That was some of the most unexpectedly powerful TV I've seen from a children's show. So I'm with you. Any strong characterisation or genuine emotion in this script came from Phil. The rest came from Moffat. In fact, I think Phil might make a good Doctor Who showrunner one day.

Edited September 1, 2014 by AudienceofOne

[LiveenLetLive]

 

Random note: is it just me, or are they making Capaldi look older and craggier for the show?

 No, not just you, if they told me that Capaldi was 70 I wouldn't contest it. I'm not in love with his Doctor, and suspect that I won't be--I prefer a more "connected" Doctor ala Tennant, and Smith (a Doctor who is more nurturing of the human race.) Clara is a cypher, yes as someone said just another "pretty 20 something," which is why Donna was so wonderful (although I detested the whole "we're not dating" schtick in the Donna storyline) and refreshing, and I also liked River Song because damn Alex Kingston is hot, and despite the age difference I bought her and the Doctor as an "item." If the young female soldier is the new companion, I'm all for it, she is feisty and not overly girly and could kick the old man's arse. 

[Jenniferbug]

First of all, I'm with those of you who are having a difficult time understanding the dialogue and I've watched British shows all of my life. I'd blame Capaldi's accent, but I can barely understand Clara either. And I honestly thought the soldier lady's name was Joanie not Journey until I read here. I think there is too much background music/noise that's covering the dialogue.

I really liked Danny Pink, so I'm hoping he sticks around and eventually travels with them. But not if he's going to be another Rory- always dying, kind of the odd one out in the trio. Old Who managed to balance multiple companions well, I don't know why the new show seems to struggle so mich with it.

I can appreciate that Twelve is more serious and callous, but they need to show glimmers of humor in him too. I don't dislike him, but I'm disappointed in him so far. Clara is a bore, and always has been to me. She has very little personality and not a lot of chemistry with either Doctor. I don't know why he keeps going back for her.

And finally, Missy. When my husband asked who she was, I replied "we don't know yet. She's probably River Song reincarnated. And even if she's not, it doesn't matter because she'll be written like the River character anyway. Because it's Moffat."

[Endeavour]

I need to rewatch because I missed a bit of the dialogue, but my first impression was that I didn't like it. I like Capaldi so far - no problem there. The story just felt all over the place.

 

Even a tiny bit of humorous quipping wouldn't go amiss.

 

I've actually been laughing a bit more these past two eps than I have in a long time. I liked the humor in the first ep and find 12's reactions pretty amusing.

 

are they making Capaldi look older and craggier for the show?

 

Same thought ran through my mind after watching the tour special.

 

If we think the cyborg threw himself off the skin balloon instead of being pushed, we now have two "souls" who sacrificed themselves in support of the Doctor's objectives.  Maybe that's the way to get to Missy

 

This is interesting. I like this theory. Although, that scares me for whatever lesson the Doctor is going to have to learn at the end of this season and what message we'll be bludgeoned with.

 

Clara annoyed me enormously. And the thing is, I can think of any number of past companions (classic and new) who could have pulled it off. They'd have made it a question - is it possible you could be wrong, is there any chance we could do something for this creature and save all the Daleks from being evil?

 

That scene annoyed me greatly. The slap was ridiculous and I'm tired of this trend with Moffat that the companions are smarter than the Doctor and, more times than not, come up with the solution. It seems to me that this has been happening for quite some time and I'm not a fan of it. I want the Doctor to be the smartest person in the room. I want him to save the day. I have no problem with the companion coming up with the solution now and again or helping the Doctor get to that solution, but the way things were handled in this ep was over the top. Unfortunately, I don't think this will change anytime soon as one of the specials had an interview with Moffat where he said it's the companion's journey we're watching not the Doctor's - it's their story. He said in a way the Doctor is their companion and the companion isn't important to Doctor Who, but the companion is Doctor Who. I think that explains a lot of my issues with the focus of the past few seasons.

 

I still don't like this part-time companion gig of Clara's.

 

I thought this made no sense after last week's plea from the Doctor that he was scared and needed Clara to stay with him.

[angora]

one of the specials had an interview with Moffat where he said it's the companion's journey we're watching not the Doctor's - it's their story. He said in a way the Doctor is their companion and the companion isn't important to Doctor Who, but the companion is Doctor Who.

 

Really?  If that's how he feels, you'd think he'd spend more time making them people and not walking mysteries/concepts/ideas/sexy legs/Generic Companion #902375029 and so on.  He's big on the super-specialness, and the "Feisty" Woman Puts the Man in His Place-ness, but I never get the sense that it occurs to him that viewers hope to see themselves in the companions.

[benteen]

Scottish accents can be difficult.  I found David Tennant to be very hard to understand at time when he was on Broadchurch.

 

On the subject on who the show should focus on, I want the show to focus on The Doctor.  I like the Danny Pink character but I'm not interested in a ton of time being spent seeing Clara at her high school.

[Llywela]

The Daleks are a plague in the universe, killing without discrimination or remorse.  Does a doctor show remorse in eradicating a plague?  I don't get the moral dilemma. 

 

So what's with the Doctor calling Clara old, etc.?  What's the purpose of it?

Maybe the Doctor calling Clara old is him getting his own back after she almost rejected him for regenerating into an older body?

 

The false moral dilemma of this episode really irritated me - I've been annoyed by the false equivalence between the Doctor and his greatest enemies throughout the New Who era, in fact. Through the 50 years of the show we have seen/heard of the Daleks enslaving entire galaxies and slaughtering billions, yet the show would have us believe that the Doctor is just as bad as they are because he wants to stop them? Sorry, not buying it. And that Clara seemed to believe it here merely renewed my dislike of her. She does not have the Doctor's history with the Daleks, a history that's extended over 13 lifetimes. Her desire to be compassionate does her credit, but she doesn't get to say she knows better than the Doctor in this situation.

 

I thought the plot of the episode was stupid from the get-go. Here's a Dalek that's been damaged and appears to have become 'good' (a subjective value) as a result - let's repair it. The repair was so obviously going to reverse the Dalek's malfunction, I couldn't for the life of me understand what the hell they thought they were going to achieve. The action was fast enough that we clearly weren't meant to ask such questions or notice such flaws, but we're not stupid. The premise was a set-up for the cool action sequences and that set-up was not strong enough to sustain the story because it required the characters to be ridiculously obtuse.

I had thought that one of the reasons the Doctor rejected Blue as a companion was not necessarily that he objected to the military, but that he needs a companion who will keep him human and a soldier isn't likely to do that.   That seems to be the one of the major points of the who companion idea.

Well, that's what New Who would have you believe, certainly. This is something completely new in the new era of the show, this idea that the Doctor is so horribly damaged that he has to have a human with him to hold him back. In the classic era, he was just a man who loved to travel and liked having companions with him because he enjoyed their company. That's part of why I prefer the classic era, in general - it's much more optimistic in tone and outlook.

 

The episode I remember where the Doctor and his companions was shrunk was Planet of Giants, the first serial of the second season of Doctor Who all the way back in 1964.  Considering it was 50 years ago, they actually did a pretty good job with that one.

Planet of the Giants is great! The props are absolutely amazing for 1964. The Invisible Enemy is the other one where he got shrunk, and was a much more obvious and direct influence on this episode, as The Invisible Enemy likewise saw him shrunk specifically so he could be injected into the body of a patient to effect a fix from the inside.

I've actually been laughing a bit more these past two eps than I have in a long time. I liked the humor in the first ep and find 12's reactions pretty amusing.

I'm tired of this trend with Moffat that the companions are smarter than the Doctor and, more times than not, come up with the solution. It seems to me that this has been happening for quite some time and I'm not a fan of it. I want the Doctor to be the smartest person in the room. I want him to save the day. I have no problem with the companion coming up with the solution now and again or helping the Doctor get to that solution, but the way things were handled in this ep was over the top. Unfortunately, I don't think this will change anytime soon as one of the specials had an interview with Moffat where he said it's the companion's journey we're watching not the Doctor's - it's their story. He said in a way the Doctor is their companion and the companion isn't important to Doctor Who, but the companion is Doctor Who. I think that explains a lot of my issues with the focus of the past few seasons.

 I thought this made no sense after last week's plea from the Doctor that he was scared and needed Clara to stay with him.

I've also appreciated the humour more in these last 2 eps than I have in recent seasons.

 

The trouble with Moffat is that he sends mixed messages. He tells us we're watching the companion's journey, yet that has very much not been true of Clara - we were watching her from the outside for the whole of her run through season 7 and were very much not shown her journey in order to maintain her aura of mystery, which damaged the character enormously...so if Moffat believe he's been showing her journey, that really worries me! I mean, in a sense he's right. Going right back to the start of the show, the character of the Doctor was the catalyst for adventure and the companions were the main characters, the heroes of the show...but Ian and Barbara were stronger characters than Clara. And both the show and the character of the Doctor have changed since then. He's right that we do need to follow the companion's journey through their time with the Doctor, they are our eyes into that universe, the audience participation figures. And they should challenge the Doctor, offer him different perspectives and new ideas - that's always been their role, for 50 years and counting. But that can be taken too far, and Moffat does.

 

Apparently teaching a bunch of teenagers is more important to Clara than seeing the universe with the Doctor, while he is so desperate for her occasional company that he has to fit in around her schedule. That does not sit well with me. I don't like her taking this incredible opportunity so much for granted - okay, she doesn't know that the set-up she's engineered is unique, something no other companion had, but still. In the past, companions had to make a choice between their lives on Earth and the opportunity offered by the Doctor, and there was tension in that choice because it was either/or. Clara gets to have her cake and eat it too and is not only removes that tension but makes her come off as smug and unappreciative.

[Mr. Simpatico]

I do have other thoughts about Clara's inability to remember being a Dalek (I was waiting for that to be part of her anger at the Doctor's giving up halfway through, but it wasn't.) Even if she didn't remember, the Doctor should and I don't know why he didn't think of that when faced with the question of whether there'd ever been a "good Dalek" before. Not to mention the episode Dalek itself. If you're going to rip it off, at least hang a lantern on it.

 

I was waiting for SOMEONE to reference it (if not Clara who doesn't seem to remember - then definitely the Doctor) considering it was a huge episode that introduced Oswin/Clara as a DALEK, that had the Daleks memories of the Doctor wiped and it was written by Moffat himself but nothing....Doesn't stop them from just reguritating the same old, same old though. The Doctor has been told before that he has the hatred of the Daleks and that he would make a good Dalek. It shouldn't come as a shock to him - especially since Twelve seems self-aware he is darker than his previous selves (hey, maybe Twelve is the Valeyard!).

 

The only time I thought she had any chemistry was with Mr. Pink. Hell, I think he'd made a better companion than Clara, and there was just what, five minutes of screen time with him?

 

I liked Mr. Pink in the little we saw him. I thought his meet-cute with Clara was cringe-inducing though (and her standing there and listening to him while he berates himself for turning her down and then asking him out again was something out of a bad rom-com). I really am dubious if Moffat can do romance (the only really successful couple I can remember him is Mary/John from Sherlock and we never saw them actually meet). I get the feeling that not only is Mr. Pink related somehow to Journey Blue (this is Moffat who doesn't know how to be subtle) but that he's a way to ease Clara from the show at some point.

 

Clara bores me to tears and it's not the fault of the actress. Mostly the character did what she had to do to become the most "special companion ever" prior to this season so everything she does now is just, "Eh." It would be more interesting, at least, if she acted like she remembered the fact that she was, "Made to save the Doctor!" and actually take a role on the series as such. She shouldn't be a subordante. She should be an equal more in the way Donna became towards the second half of her run. Her teling The Doctor off was a good step in that direction

 

I think they ruined Clara when they made the decision that she was the most "special companion ever" who has met/saved every incarnation of the Doctor and has lived countless lives and then decided..."nah, never mind" and just made her an ordinary Coal Hill teacher who is snarky. Either run with the idea that she's so special in the Doctor's life and let her be an ordinary girl from the start. Of course I think it was a mistake to go with this "modern" version of Clara to begin with - both Oswin the Dalek and Clara the Victorian Governess would have made for a much more interesting companion and the face they were so interesting means its not Jenna Coleman's fault Clara has become so blah but the writers.

 

I quite like the gravitas Capaldi brings to this incarnation; he reminds me of Jon Pertwee, even down to the choice of costumes. It is a welcome contrast to the previous Doctor who in the last season skirted dangerously with the hamminess of number Four (and some hints of the silly number Seven).

 

He seems a bit of Three (who despite his arrogance was probably the Doctor as his most "hero" mode) and One (who pretty much could care less and had no problem slugging humans or kidnapping them or hightailing it out of situations). It is interesting he is so "dark" and brooding considering that Matt Smith's 11 could be very dark sometimes (and Tennant amped it up high before he left) and yet this is the Doctor reborn with a new set of regenerations AND the first regeneration since the War Doctor to start as the the Doctor with knowledge he didn't commit genocide and that Gallifrey is still out there. He should be just a wee bit more happier.

[AudienceofOne]

The repair was so obviously going to reverse the Dalek's malfunction, I couldn't for the life of me understand what the hell they thought they were going to achieve

 

 

 

The Doctor even says that "morality is a malfunction" and when he finds the radiation leak he calls it the source of the morality malfunction. And then he fixes it and everyone's surprised the morality malfunction is fixed too. It was bloody terrible writing. 

[Locutus]

Wasn't Pertwee shrunk in Carnival of Monsters?

[Llywela]

Wasn't Pertwee shrunk in Carnival of Monsters?

Yes! He was, you're right. That's three previous occasions, then. Anyone remember any more?

[KnittingOwl]

I really hate Moffat's writing. He totally lost me when Rusty said "resistance is futile."

The whole episode was a bit of a jumbled mess.

[Llywela]

I really hate Moffat's writing. He totally lost me when Rusty said "resistance is futile."

In fairness, that line was used in the classic series many years before Star Trek adopted it for the Borg.

[darkestboy]

An interesting episode.

I guess even a good Dalek would just be one that would want to kill it's own kind. Instead of making the Dalek better, the Doctor just transferred his hatred of the species into Rusty's mind after all.

I really like this darker side of the Doctor we're seeing this series but at the same time, he was overly harsh with Journey and her crew and that slap he got from Clara was actually deserved if I'm being honest.

Twelve and Clara continue to make for an interesting dynamic as well. I think he is a good man but also a dangerous one as well. Maybe more so than his last two incarnations.

Journey had companion potential written all over her. Too bad the Doctor rejected on grounds of being a soldier but that's clear foreshadowing for something else though.

Danny is an interesting character too. Can't wait to see more of him over the series. I even like the potential with him and Clara as well.

Missy's collecting people we'll probably see in the finale, isn't she? 9/10

[benteen]

Yes! He was, you're right. That's three previous occasions, then. Anyone remember any more?

 

I'd just seen that one recently and I can't believe I forgot it!  Good catch!

[Llywela]

I guess even a good Dalek would just be one that would want to kill it's own kind. Instead of making the Dalek better, the Doctor just transferred his hatred of the species into Rusty's mind after all.

The thing was, even at the beginning when they first called it a good Dalek, it wasn't eschewing evil but simply stating the desire to destroy Daleks (well, and appreciation of the beauty of starbirth, but it still wanted to kill other Daleks). And that was what they all thought was so good. But then the Doctor was upset when it came full circle to the same conclusion again at the end. The logic driving the story simply wasn't consistent in its aims.

 

It isn't even the first time the Doctor has had a positive influence on Daleks and turned them 'good' - the 2nd Doctor did something similar but with far greater success way back in Evil of the Daleks. The ideas behind this story were enormously derivative and, perhaps because they were drawing on the influence of so many different past stories, far less coherent than any of the originals.

[Happytobehere]

I liked two things about this episode-- Ms. Blue and Mr. Pink. Everything else was deadly dull and pointless.

[KirkB]

To be fair to Clara, the part time companion thing isn't entirely her fault. Yes, she may want some time off once and a while (and I can't blame her) but she said in this episode she sent the Doctor off for coffee and from her perspective it took him three weeks to get back.

I may be the only one here who didn't particularly like Mr. Pink. Not to say I DISliked him, it's just that every time we cut away to him and Clara awkwardly flirting I grumbled about being more interested in what the Doctor was doing. Then again I haven't quite made up my mind yes as to whether I really like Clara or not. It seems to vary from episode to episode.

I like Capaldi, and am willing to give him the first half of the season to grow into the role of the Doctor. He has some big shoes to fill after all. I had just gotten used to Eccleston when he went away and it took me a while to accept Tennant, who then became my all time favorite. Smith had to work pretty hard to make me like him because I didn't want Tennant to go. So I can cut Capaldi plenty of slack.

I will admit to not knowing enough about Dr. Who's history (I only started watching with Eccleston) to really guess who Missy is. The Rani makes sense, but it depends on whether or not Moffett wants to reintroduce more bad guy Time Lords.

[supposebly]

 

The Doctor even says that "morality is a malfunction" and when he finds the radiation leak he calls it the source of the morality malfunction. And then he fixes it and everyone's surprised the morality malfunction is fixed too. It was bloody terrible writing.

 

I know! I hate it when I'm smarter than the Doctor. It was painfully obvious.

[Casual Viewing]

There have only been two episodes featuring the daleks that I enjoyed watching (Dalek, Asylum of the Daleks), so I had no great expections for this one and I delayed watching it. Basically the episode was bland and forgettable aside from Danny Pink, who I feel would make a far more interesting companion to this Doctor.

I'm reserving judgment on the new Doctor until we get a better story. It generally takes me awhile to learn to like a new Doctor (the exception to that was Eight, Ten and Eleven; I liked them immediately.)

Not sure how I feel about the next episode since I am such a fan of the Robin Hood legend.

[ganesh]

I liked this take on the Daleks because it was more one on one, like everyone else said, like "Dalek." By and large, the Daleks never struck me as much of a threat once you figure out how to counter their overwhelming numbers. Which is no small thing, but strategists, they are not. 

 

I liked Twelve seemingly thinking faster than everyone else, and not really having the inclination to wait for them to catch up. Also, he totally sacrificed that guy. Cold. 

 

I'm not really that much of a fan of the Scenes of Clara's Life. It's called Doctor Who, not The Doctor and What Else is Going on With His Current Friend. Once and a while, ok; I actually didn't mind the Home Life of The Ponds episode. 

 

Something about Clara that I'm just meh on. The actor is fine, but she's written too cheeky for me. It doesn't seem earned. I was much more interested in Blue coming on as a Companion. 

 

But I'm enjoying the Twelve tenure so far. He's lean, wiry, dressed dark, and moves with purpose. I don't know how he finds time for all these adventures while managing Arsenal in the EPL every week though. 

[tarotx]

I'm liking 12 more than 10 the early episodes but not as well as 11 and especially not 9. I don't have any issues understanding Peter but I've watched both episodes on my computer since that is how I watched the other episodes on Netflix.

 

I've never really enjoyed a Dalek episode except 9's final episodes and Asylum of the Dalek. Dalek episodes are always talky in that the characters are always explaining the fear more so than the episodes shows it.

 

I get that this episode was about the Doctor trying to find the good in himself. I think he's suffering from PTSD himself. Which I think is probably caused by the uncertainty of both "What really happened the last day of the time war" and "When you change so much of yourself are you still yourself". When The Dalek finds the Doctor's hatred it devastated 12. There are some signs that 12 might be suffering from memory loss. They made a big deal about him having trouble sleeping last episode and I get a depression about him. But it's not the sorrow kind 10 seemed to suffer. His is more rooted into his make up and not on losing someone. 

 

I really enjoyed Both Pink and Blue. I can see their stories more inline with telling what I think is coming for the doctor this season. She had chemistry with both The Doctor and Clara. I know she's coming back. I just get the since that the doctor abandoning her will have consequences. It's what he would have done to 12's face at Pompeii if not for Donna being a carer and The doctor caring about Donna enough to save someone in a set time event he had caused. 

 

The Doctor needs someone to care about since his world and life is gigantic. He can't think that big and has to have someone to ground him. He Needs someone to care about. Clara isn't that person. Even before the time span of Trenzalore happened, Clara was a companion not because the Doctor chose her but because she kept popping up in time. And now she's just a part time companion. 

 

We'll see what happens. 

Edited September 2, 2014 by tarotx

[mac123x]

Yes! He was, you're right. That's three previous occasions, then. Anyone remember any more?

Four was also shrunk in the sixth serial of the Key to Time season, Armageddon Factor.

[alias1]

I didn't see anything interesting about Journey Blue (except her name).  And I don't care if we never see her again.  She wouldn't be a more interesting companion than any of Moffat's creations.  But knowing how subtle he is, there has to be something to the Pink and Blue thing.  I hope Danny and Clara aren't some repeated version of Amy and Rory.  Oh wait, Missy is going to be their daughter!!  (just kidding.) 

[mac123x]

I didn't see anything interesting about Journey Blue (except her name).  And I don't care if we never see her again.  She wouldn't be a more interesting companion than any of Moffat's creations.  But knowing how subtle he is, there has to be something to the Pink and Blue thing. 

 

Could be he was just trying to be ironic with the color / gender swap:  "blue is for baby boys, pink is for baby girls, but I switched them!  Isn't that clever?"   [eye roll]