Series 8
Posted: 10 Nov 2014, 16:55
My personal thoughts/musings etc. on Series 8.
Deep Breath.
Like most regeneration stories, this one was set on Earth, but in Victorian London this time. I wish we could have seen more of the T-Rex, all it did was stomp around the Thames looking lost, but it's death was quite horrific and showed off the darker/grittier direction that the show is going in. Also the public didn't look scared enough to me, considering a carnivorous dinosaur had just appeared out of nowhere.
Peter Capaldi was perfectly manic as the newly regenerated Doctor and those moments gave us some interesting scenes. The Twelfth Doctor is Older, Darker, more Complex and it's a welcome change after the Youthful/Energetic antics of Docs 10 & 11. Jenna Coleman seemed to get more screen time than Peter in this episode, her acting was excellent and showed that Clara Oswald is one of the greatest NuWho companions. An unusual introduction to Series 8, but still very entertaining.
Into the Dalek.
A cross between the movies Fantastic Voyage (1966), Innerspace (1987) and 2005's "Dalek". The basic plot remained the same, an imprisoned Dalek escaping, going on a killing spree and learning to be good etc. But the episode was still fresh & original, adding another layer to the Daleks that we hadn't seen before. The Twelfth Doctor showed a lack of compassion when people died, he even made a joke about a character who got killed in a previous scene. I'm liking this new darker edge though, Peter Capaldi plays it perfectly whilst still maintaining all of the old traits that make up the Doctor. It harkens back to the Sylvester McCoy era.
Robot of Sherwood.
A fun episode, full of rollicking adventure, perfect for a saturday night! :-) The episode looked like it could have been written for David Tennant and wouldn't have looked out of place in Series 2 (2006). The Errol Flyn-like Robin Hood & his Merry Men were deliberately cliche'd, with plenty of swashbuckling and no tights. :-D I liked Ben Miller's Sheriff of Nottingham too, with his beard, he bore a slight resemblance to Anthony Ainley (The Master).
Listen.
Back to classic "hide behind the sofa" DW, made better by the fact you never saw the monster. A generation of kids developed a fear of statues thanks to "Blink", this episode will make them scared of anything they now hear at night. One thing that DW has always done is terrify viewers and this has kept up the tradition nicely. It was also good to see John Hurt again, hope they bring him back some time soon!
Time Heist.
The Doctor has done many things in his lifetime, but bank-robbing is a new one, this story should have been called "Oceans Twelfth". lol Keeley Hawes played a great part, the twist involving The Teller was well done and The Architect's video reminded me of the "Saw" films. Seeing all the different forms of intergalactic people in the bank, gave it a "Star Wars" feel too. An enjoyable episode.
The Caretaker.
This story focused more on Danny Pink (Samuel Anderson), who I'm liking more with each episode. He's a damaged character, who's haunted by events/actions from his past, something which The Doctor can relate to. Both of them should get on straight away, but instead they don't.
The Skovox Blitzer was supposed to be this deadly killing machine, but the animatronic model didn't quite live up to that. I found it funny more than anything, but that could have been intentional. It caused a lot of damage and I'd love to know how the school are going to pay for it. The show never seems to explore that side of things! :-)
Kill the Moon.
With the previous week's episode having a CBBC feel, it was business as usual this time. A typical plot involving monsters & the end of the world, throw in some monster Arachnids (a'la Planet of the Spiders) and you can't go wrong! :-) It did bring up some interesting scenes though, like seeing the Doctor test his companions, by leaving them in danger. That's not something that the 11th would have done, up until now the fans have been comparing the 12th with his predecessor, but that scene showed them that he's a different character altogether. In the words of Colin Baker, he's The Doctor now "whether you like it or not!".
Mummy on the Orient Express.
A nice/stylish production, with a convincing Mummy (great work from the Make-Up department) and there were some nice moments, like the Jelly Babies in the cigarello box. Loved the guest stars too, such as Foxes singing "Don't Stop Me Now" and Frank Skinner playing.....himself. It was a delightful little cameo, but I doubt he'll win any BAFTA's for it! lol
Also a special mention must go to Peter & Jenna, who have brought so much to the show so far.
Flatline.
Clara the companion, became Clara the hero and did a pretty good job of it. I enjoyed the moments of comic relief and the visual gags involving the shrinking TARDIS, especially when The Doctor was trying to get off the railway line. The whole episode looked like a Banksy art exhibition, with many inventive death scenes and the CGI monsters themselves were visually stunning.
For me, this and "Listen" were among the best of this season. If they can keep on churning out quality stories like them, then the show is in good hands.
In the Forest of the Night.
The effect used to create London being covered in trees was well achieved and the close-ups were probably shot in a forest somewhere in Cardiff. But there's nothing wrong with that, after 9 years Whovians have realised that Wales can double up for literally anything! :-) It was a different kind of alien invasion with real threats (Tigers, Wolves etc.) and normal human characters. Nice to see more of Danny Pink in action, I'd love to see him get more of a central role. Another winning episode!
Dark Water.
After popping up throughout the series, it was time for Missy (The female Master) to take centre stage........hang on a minute!!!! It's typical of Steven Moffat to throw a spanner in the works like that.
Michelle Gomez is a terrific Master, but I'm sad that John Simm's reign has been cut off so abruptly, without so much as a regeneration scene. Where did he go after "The End of Time"?
The idea that you're still conscious after you've died is quite disturbing, so much so that it caused viewers to complain. You won't find better publicity than that! lol
Death in Heaven.
Steven Moffatt went down the "tried & tested" route with this finale, by bringing back old enemies. But this wasn't your usual Cybermen invasion story, the sight of them rising from their graves & flying with jet-packs was awesome. There was many great character moments too, like The Doctor furiously banging his fists on the TARDIS controls when he hadn't found Gallifrey, Danny Pink's final moments were very sad and it was nice to see a homage to The Brigadier. Is it the end for Clara Oswald though?, if so then she's gone out on a high note.
For me, this season has been a triumphant one and a great start for Peter Capaldi's Doctor. Also the decision to not split it into two mini-series (like S6 & 7) was a good one, I don't like mid-season breaks and having to wait months for new episodes. So having it in full was a bonus, I'm looking forward to seeing what they have in store for next year.
Deep Breath.
Like most regeneration stories, this one was set on Earth, but in Victorian London this time. I wish we could have seen more of the T-Rex, all it did was stomp around the Thames looking lost, but it's death was quite horrific and showed off the darker/grittier direction that the show is going in. Also the public didn't look scared enough to me, considering a carnivorous dinosaur had just appeared out of nowhere.
Peter Capaldi was perfectly manic as the newly regenerated Doctor and those moments gave us some interesting scenes. The Twelfth Doctor is Older, Darker, more Complex and it's a welcome change after the Youthful/Energetic antics of Docs 10 & 11. Jenna Coleman seemed to get more screen time than Peter in this episode, her acting was excellent and showed that Clara Oswald is one of the greatest NuWho companions. An unusual introduction to Series 8, but still very entertaining.
Into the Dalek.
A cross between the movies Fantastic Voyage (1966), Innerspace (1987) and 2005's "Dalek". The basic plot remained the same, an imprisoned Dalek escaping, going on a killing spree and learning to be good etc. But the episode was still fresh & original, adding another layer to the Daleks that we hadn't seen before. The Twelfth Doctor showed a lack of compassion when people died, he even made a joke about a character who got killed in a previous scene. I'm liking this new darker edge though, Peter Capaldi plays it perfectly whilst still maintaining all of the old traits that make up the Doctor. It harkens back to the Sylvester McCoy era.
Robot of Sherwood.
A fun episode, full of rollicking adventure, perfect for a saturday night! :-) The episode looked like it could have been written for David Tennant and wouldn't have looked out of place in Series 2 (2006). The Errol Flyn-like Robin Hood & his Merry Men were deliberately cliche'd, with plenty of swashbuckling and no tights. :-D I liked Ben Miller's Sheriff of Nottingham too, with his beard, he bore a slight resemblance to Anthony Ainley (The Master).
Listen.
Back to classic "hide behind the sofa" DW, made better by the fact you never saw the monster. A generation of kids developed a fear of statues thanks to "Blink", this episode will make them scared of anything they now hear at night. One thing that DW has always done is terrify viewers and this has kept up the tradition nicely. It was also good to see John Hurt again, hope they bring him back some time soon!
Time Heist.
The Doctor has done many things in his lifetime, but bank-robbing is a new one, this story should have been called "Oceans Twelfth". lol Keeley Hawes played a great part, the twist involving The Teller was well done and The Architect's video reminded me of the "Saw" films. Seeing all the different forms of intergalactic people in the bank, gave it a "Star Wars" feel too. An enjoyable episode.
The Caretaker.
This story focused more on Danny Pink (Samuel Anderson), who I'm liking more with each episode. He's a damaged character, who's haunted by events/actions from his past, something which The Doctor can relate to. Both of them should get on straight away, but instead they don't.
The Skovox Blitzer was supposed to be this deadly killing machine, but the animatronic model didn't quite live up to that. I found it funny more than anything, but that could have been intentional. It caused a lot of damage and I'd love to know how the school are going to pay for it. The show never seems to explore that side of things! :-)
Kill the Moon.
With the previous week's episode having a CBBC feel, it was business as usual this time. A typical plot involving monsters & the end of the world, throw in some monster Arachnids (a'la Planet of the Spiders) and you can't go wrong! :-) It did bring up some interesting scenes though, like seeing the Doctor test his companions, by leaving them in danger. That's not something that the 11th would have done, up until now the fans have been comparing the 12th with his predecessor, but that scene showed them that he's a different character altogether. In the words of Colin Baker, he's The Doctor now "whether you like it or not!".
Mummy on the Orient Express.
A nice/stylish production, with a convincing Mummy (great work from the Make-Up department) and there were some nice moments, like the Jelly Babies in the cigarello box. Loved the guest stars too, such as Foxes singing "Don't Stop Me Now" and Frank Skinner playing.....himself. It was a delightful little cameo, but I doubt he'll win any BAFTA's for it! lol
Also a special mention must go to Peter & Jenna, who have brought so much to the show so far.
Flatline.
Clara the companion, became Clara the hero and did a pretty good job of it. I enjoyed the moments of comic relief and the visual gags involving the shrinking TARDIS, especially when The Doctor was trying to get off the railway line. The whole episode looked like a Banksy art exhibition, with many inventive death scenes and the CGI monsters themselves were visually stunning.
For me, this and "Listen" were among the best of this season. If they can keep on churning out quality stories like them, then the show is in good hands.
In the Forest of the Night.
The effect used to create London being covered in trees was well achieved and the close-ups were probably shot in a forest somewhere in Cardiff. But there's nothing wrong with that, after 9 years Whovians have realised that Wales can double up for literally anything! :-) It was a different kind of alien invasion with real threats (Tigers, Wolves etc.) and normal human characters. Nice to see more of Danny Pink in action, I'd love to see him get more of a central role. Another winning episode!
Dark Water.
After popping up throughout the series, it was time for Missy (The female Master) to take centre stage........hang on a minute!!!! It's typical of Steven Moffat to throw a spanner in the works like that.
Michelle Gomez is a terrific Master, but I'm sad that John Simm's reign has been cut off so abruptly, without so much as a regeneration scene. Where did he go after "The End of Time"?
The idea that you're still conscious after you've died is quite disturbing, so much so that it caused viewers to complain. You won't find better publicity than that! lol
Death in Heaven.
Steven Moffatt went down the "tried & tested" route with this finale, by bringing back old enemies. But this wasn't your usual Cybermen invasion story, the sight of them rising from their graves & flying with jet-packs was awesome. There was many great character moments too, like The Doctor furiously banging his fists on the TARDIS controls when he hadn't found Gallifrey, Danny Pink's final moments were very sad and it was nice to see a homage to The Brigadier. Is it the end for Clara Oswald though?, if so then she's gone out on a high note.
For me, this season has been a triumphant one and a great start for Peter Capaldi's Doctor. Also the decision to not split it into two mini-series (like S6 & 7) was a good one, I don't like mid-season breaks and having to wait months for new episodes. So having it in full was a bonus, I'm looking forward to seeing what they have in store for next year.