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[Voltaire]

I've been thinking about the extra Dr. #10, who is in the alternate universe with Rose.  #11 couldn't sit still for an hour watching the cubes, and I think he would miss his Tardis too, too much.  Even though he has Rose.  Maybe the two of them would look for the Dr. of that universe and join forces.

I think the idea RTD stated was, Time Lords exist across all universes - ie, there's just one Doctor, and he spends most of his time in this universe, for whatever reason.

I feel like I read him saying that somewhere, but I don't have a reference.

[Kirian]

So, Series 9.

Someone convince me that this series isn't the best of the modern Doctor Who.  Each of the last four episodes is as good as or better than Blink.

Did someone replace Steven Moffat with a Zygon?

[faust]

So, Series 9.

Someone convince me that this series isn't the best of the modern Doctor Who.  Each of the last four episodes is as good as or better than Blink.

Did someone replace Steven Moffat with a Zygon?

I read some article with a lot of criticism of this series that was actually spot-on. Like, they spend way too much time on earth. Why don't we get to see other planets? Also, the plot usually falls apart upon closer inspection. They do a lot just for cool scenes (electric guitar on a tank?) that does not make much narrative sense. And so on.

But somehow all this doesn't make this series less enjoyable. I think a lot comes down to great acting (Capaldi is awesome, Coleman is awesome, Maisie Williams was great, that woman playing Missy...); also the two-parter format works out perfectly.

[Asper]

I dislike how with the newer episodes, everybody allready knows everything, declares that casually in a side sentence and oh, we are all so inhumanly clever, now this show has become so much cooler. Yes Doctor, we realize you totally knew Devros wanted to trick you and intentionally reanimated him and his Daleks because of whatever reason at the cost of great pain and part of your life span, yes Clara, you always know what the Doctor thinks because "I know that face" and "That's how it is.", and sure, Osgood, we would have to be fools for thinking you wouldn't immediately understand that when the Doctor is silly, it's just a means to distract you, and Missy, well, nobody can surprise you either... It's cool sometimes, and even some of the examples were nice when i watched them, but this characterization of almost every character as a super-intelligent know-it-all has become kind of dull to me.

At the very least i hope that Clara will finally leave. She's a Mary Sue more than anyone else, and far, far more than suits the role she plays in the overall story.

[EFHW]

So, Series 9.

Someone convince me that this series isn't the best of the modern Doctor Who.  Each of the last four episodes is as good as or better than Blink.

Did someone replace Steven Moffat with a Zygon?

I noticed last week he had a co-writer.

[Kirian]

I dislike how with the newer episodes, everybody allready knows everything, declares that casually in a side sentence and oh, we are all so inhumanly clever, now this show has become so much cooler.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OmniscientHero

It's certainly a problem, but the Doctor might well be considered the archetype of this trope.  But yes, the other characters becoming semi-omniscient is a tiny bit grating.  On the other hand, all these characters do get surprised at some point: Osgood by Missy in Death in Heaven, the Doctor also by Missy in Witch's Familiar, Missy by the Doctor several times.

Then again, to even keep up with the Doctor, even when he's in charge and giving orders and you're just following orders, one has to be playing Xanatos Speed Chess.

Note that Star Trek characters come close to this as well.  Which is what you'd expect on the UFP flagship: you have to be the best of the best to even get into Starfleet, and therefore the Enterprise should be staffed by the best of the best of the best.  It's one of the reasons the reboot pisses me off so much; that universe's Kirk isn't qualified to command a garbage truck, much less the Enterprise.

[qmech]

So, Series 9.

Someone convince me that this series isn't the best of the modern Doctor Who.  Each of the last four episodes is as good as or better than Blink.

Did someone replace Steven Moffat with a Zygon?

I've been keeping out of this thread because I've been behind, but I'm just about caught up now.  I thought somebody must have posted something like this; I particularly like using the longer double episode format as a matter of course.

[Asper]

I dislike how with the newer episodes, everybody allready knows everything, declares that casually in a side sentence and oh, we are all so inhumanly clever, now this show has become so much cooler.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OmniscientHero

It's certainly a problem, but the Doctor might well be considered the archetype of this trope.  But yes, the other characters becoming semi-omniscient is a tiny bit grating.  On the other hand, all these characters do get surprised at some point: Osgood by Missy in Death in Heaven, the Doctor also by Missy in Witch's Familiar, Missy by the Doctor several times.

Then again, to even keep up with the Doctor, even when he's in charge and giving orders and you're just following orders, one has to be playing Xanatos Speed Chess.

Note that Star Trek characters come close to this as well.  Which is what you'd expect on the UFP flagship: you have to be the best of the best to even get into Starfleet, and therefore the Enterprise should be staffed by the best of the best of the best.  It's one of the reasons the reboot pisses me off so much; that universe's Kirk isn't qualified to command a garbage truck, much less the Enterprise.

I guess what irks me is that they all become that archetype. The cast is very colourful in other areas, but here it has become less diverse since Moffat took over. That is not to say i dislike the current season. I think it's easily the top half of the Moffat era. At the very least they didn't magically bring someone back from the other side in a cheap deus-ex-machina way to elevate soldier-boy to beyond human heroism levels. Plus this season got Daleks that actually remember the Doctor and are more than tools to tell a completely different story.

[EFHW]

The current season is so dark, as in unlit, it's hard to see what is happening most of the time.  Really reduces the rewatchability for me.

[Kirian]

At the very least they didn't magically bring someone back from the other side in a cheap deus-ex-machina way to elevate soldier-boy to beyond human heroism levels.

Ugh, that pissed me off so much.  It's almost like Moffat was thinking "Hey, what can I do that will be worse than Dobby-Jesus-Doctor in Last of the Time Lords?"

It also pisses me off that they've never followed up on it.  Like, what did Clara even do about it?  Just... nothing?

[Asper]

My thoughts about the latest episode in one word: Nevermore.

[Kirian]

I haven't seen the latest yet, but man was Sleep No More awful.  When the Doctor is literally saying "This makes no sense!" at the end, and it's not a cliffhanger, you've failed.

[Asper]

I haven't seen the latest yet, but man was Sleep No More awful.  When the Doctor is literally saying "This makes no sense!" at the end, and it's not a cliffhanger, you've failed.

The entire episode i couldn't help thinking: "No more sleep? Having 1/3 more of my life actually living? Gimme some of that stuff!"
The reasoning why it was bad a poorly executed "science is bad" claim, where they had to introduce fantasy creatures to have something that actually backs up the doctor's anger. Seriously, you travel through time and get angry for people who found a way to reduce the time they need to sleep? Hypocrite.

And that's without even talking about the "story". At least i liked the idea to use "in-world" cameras, allthough i feel they weren't really consequent with it at the end.

[Kirian]

I haven't seen the latest yet, but man was Sleep No More awful.  When the Doctor is literally saying "This makes no sense!" at the end, and it's not a cliffhanger, you've failed.

The entire episode i couldn't help thinking: "No more sleep? Having 1/3 more of my life actually living? Gimme some of that stuff!"
The reasoning why it was bad a poorly executed "science is bad" claim...

Right?  I mean, criticism of that kind of science was already done, better, in Beggars in Spain.

[Kuildeous]

It was a pretty good death scene.

Naturally I had to watch the first episode of a two-parter. Feh.

[Asper]

It was a pretty good death scene.

Naturally I had to watch the first episode of a two-parter. Feh.

Spoilers gonna spoil.

I think it's sad that i got fed up so much with her that i wasn't sad for a second. I was just thinking "Yes, finally, thank you!" So, in case you wondered, "Nevermore" means (besides an obvious Poe reference), "Nevermore Clara". Man, i shouldn't be as glad over the death of a (fictional) character, but her leaving was overdue. Even some of her last words were "Don't say a word, i know allready what you're thinking". It's like, wow, i'm supposed to be sad, but thank you for reminding me why i am actually cheering. Go faster, kind Raven.

[Kuildeous]

I never thought she was a great companion, but I didn't hate her as much as others did. Obviously people who hated the character likely wouldn't be terribly moved by that scene. I found it moving, though it did not make me cry.

Oh well, companion deaths are rare, so it's good to break things up a bit. And, well, even though the actress isn't slated to return, we all know that death is often a mere inconvenience in Dr. Who. I believe this Christmas episode is an example of that.

Also, the internet ruins many surprises. Too many announcements about shows.

[EFHW]

I liked her. Partly because she had the same name as my daughter and we watch Dr. Who together. Though I liked her especially early on rather than recently.  What I find really unsatisfying is that they don't give any reason why she would want to die. I assume it's because of Danny, but it felt really incomplete that they never said so. Were they worried about encouraging suicide?

[EFHW]

Also, the Doctor should have cried.

[Tables]

Am I the only one who thinks this was one of the best episodes of New Who yet?

[Asper]

Am I the only one who thinks this was one of the best episodes of New Who yet?

If you are referring to the one yesterday, i think so too

Allthough if all of these skulls are his, and were amassed for millions of years, why didn't the pool fill up, leading to his fall becoming deadly? It doesn't look very deep to begin with.

Edit: Also, at some point there must have been a Doctor who left his coat and shoes behind for the next to find, which means he ran around the castle nakedly, never returning to get dressed. Or that somebody indeed did leave a coat for him.

[Kirian]

Am I the only one who thinks this was one of the best episodes of New Who yet?

Finally saw it.  You're not the only one.  Holy shit.  Love the callback to Day of the Doctor as well.  I can't wait to see where this goes.

[Tables]

Am I the only one who thinks this was one of the best episodes of New Who yet?

If you are referring to the one yesterday, i think so too

Allthough if all of these skulls are his, and were amassed for millions of years, why didn't the pool fill up, leading to his fall becoming deadly? It doesn't look very deep to begin with.

Edit: Also, at some point there must have been a Doctor who left his coat and shoes behind for the next to find, which means he ran around the castle nakedly, never returning to get dressed. Or that somebody indeed did leave a coat for him.

Regarding point 2: Given the castle resets each time, it must have been left there for him.

One thing I don't get is Why didn't the azbantium wall reset each time he died? That doesn't especially make sense to me.

[Kirian]

One thing I don't get is Why didn't the azbantium wall reset each time he died? That doesn't especially make sense to me.

Obviously it's not just made-up-namium, it's also made of handwavium. *Waves hand* These aren't the droids you're looking for, move along.

CAUTION:  Link in spoiler tag goes to TVTropes.  Click at your own risk.

[Kuildeous]

I thought Heaven Sent was a phenomenal episode. I wasn't sucker-punched by the ending because I knew he was in a loop as soon as I saw the clothes drying by the fire. I figured that he was in a loop, though I did not realize that he was dying each time.

As for the skulls, I suppose one could argue that the tides shifted the skulls outward so that they never had the change to build up close to the wall. But I admit that'd be a pretty weak argument. Still, I'm sticking by it. And no, I don't have an excuse—weak or otherwise—for why the wall did not reset.

Those last points I just chalk up to Dr. Who being a whimsical pseudoscience show and just pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. The whole series is just chockfull of paradoxes, so why should this be any different?