"You don't get to name things. I'm the Doctor. I do the naming."

[locker_monster]

This is unrelated to the episode, but we got to talking about Doctor Who at my book club today and somehow ended up on the topic of Tom Baker. I mentioned I had knitted a Fourth Doctor scarf and one of the ladies, who is a big geek like me, said to me, "If you knit me a scarf, I would totally pay you for it." Even when I told her that I couldn't work on the scarf until the new year, she was still very adamant. So I seem to have a commission. If my job falls through, maybe I can knit Fourth Doctor scarves for a living. ;-)

Anyway, this episode. Was it totally different and amazing? Well...

The found footage thing was a nice idea, but I don't think it really worked. I was expecting one camera recording everything, but they were cutting between everyone's point of view and station security footage. It feels like a cheat when you can jump to someone else's POV. I thought the episode would be one long, continuous shot from one camera. I guess they had some ambition on this episode, but not that much ambition. The dust watching everything is also a cheat. It allows them to put POV shots anywhere. So in that department, I wasn't that wowed. I did notice right away that shots were from Clara's POV, which made no sense until the Doctor explained why. The blocking was very good in that regard. You had a strong sense of where everyone was standing in a scene, so when there was suddenly a shot and it wasn't one of the rescue team guys, it really stood out, at least for me. Something like Cloverfield did this concept much better, with the one single camera and the occasional glitch to the other footage on the tape.

So, ignoring how the episode was filmed, let's talk about the episode. It was certainly atmospheric. Lots of shadows, lots of shaky running shots, lots of ominous sounds. Was it scare your pants off kind of scary? I dunno. I don't get freaked out by Doctor Who episodes. "Blink", "The Empty Child", "Midnight"; none of them ever made my heart race. I guess horror movies aren't my thing. I think I got too distracted by the camera work and I wasn't wrapped up in the plot. Or maybe I don't find creatures made of sentient eye gunk to be terrifying. They did look interesting, but they weren't the stuff of nightmares.

Or maybe I didn't fully understand what was going on. So the signal from the Morpheus pods mutates people into Sandmen? And the scientist guy was going to infect everyone via the signal? And he sent out the footage before the station crashed? So does that mean everyone in the 38th century is now infected and turning into Sandmen? Or when the station crashed, that stopped the signal? I definitely need to watch everything again.

Random: The station's computer voice reminded me of GLaDOS from Portal. When it was asking that one guy to sing the song to open the door, it totally sounded like something GLaDOS would do. If you've ever played the video game, you know what I'm talking about. The Doctor and Clara's short exchange about putting the word "space" in front of things made me laugh. I always like those moments before the action kicks off. They are moments not tied to the plot so you can get a bit random. They're little exchange about naming the monsters was also cute. I love that the Doctor brought up the Silurians. It was also cute when the Doctor asked Clara to hold his hand. Clara getting sucked into a Morpheus pod was very random, but it's so totally something that would happen only to a Companion. The HUDs on the soldiers' helmet was neat. It's a different sort of way to show a map or schematic.

You know, I can't help but think that I would like this story more if it had been filmed in a more traditional manner.

Next week looks interesting. Rigsy's back and I'm sort of getting a Neverwhere vibe. The Doctor also gets to debut his red coat. It's about time he changed his look. That holey jumper must be wearing thin now considering he's worn it for like half of the season.

Oh, and back to my book club. We also talked about how Peter Capaldi's performance has mellowed this season and that got us onto the topic of how the Doctor broke the fourth wall in "Before the Flood". One of the girls thought it was the first time the show had done that, but I had to burst her bubble and I told her about One wishing everyone a "Happy Christmas" during "The Feast of Steven" from "The Daleks' Master Plan" and Four brief address to the audience in "The Face of Evil". I probably sounded like trivia spouting machine. And yes, Twelve's wall breaking was the first time it was done so extensively so the other girl is still right in that regard. Anyway, book club; we don't just talk about books. :-)

Comments

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

I've literally have came here from watching this episode and I'm not sure what to make of it. There were a lot of things that happened that reminded me of something from a previous episode which took me out of the story a bit.

Two examples I can think of are the monsters and the Doctor's explanation of the sleep from your eyes. The last scene reminded me of Amy rubbing sand out of her eye in "Time Of Angels". I'm sure there's more but I don't want to bore you.

When Moffat kept bringing the Angels back, they became less threatening. I don't like Midnight because the Doctor is personally traumatized in it. What I remember most from "Empty Child" is that mummy catchphrase.

The Doctor and Clara didn't just hold hands, they also ran a bit while holding hands!. Haven't seen that between the Doctor and the champion in a long time.:)

What does it mean when I'm more interested in the trailer than I was in this episode?. Rigsy's!.

"That holey jumper must be wearing thin now considering he's worn it for like half of the season."

The Doctor either has good quality clothes or he has a second pair perhaps?.

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

Even after watching the episode a second time, I still don't know what's going on. Supposedly Mark Gatiss is writing a sequel to the episode (for next season I assume) so maybe we'll get some explanation then.

The Doctor and Clara didn't just hold hands, they also ran a bit while holding hands!

Yes, I saw that! Twelve has definitely mellowed this season. We wouldn't have seen this last season.

What does it mean when I'm more interested in the trailer than I was in this episode?

Heh, that's not a good sign. I mean, it's cool when a show tries to do something different, but it has to be done well in order to engage the audience.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

At first I really wasn't into the two parter episode angle during this series but once I was getting use to it, they change it up again. Since I was confused by this episode, it's going to take some storytelling from the sequel to undo my point of view.

"Yes, I saw that! Twelve has definitely mellowed this season. We wouldn't have seen this last season."

As much as I'm glad that Twelve is showing signs of affection,it's sad that we know he will lose Clara and this is his last chance to do so. I find it funny that Clara still wears heels even when she should know she will probably have to run. Remember when the Doctor told her to change her shoes in "Time Heist". I know she's small but that's a possible safety hazard. I'm scared she's going to fall and hurt her ankle or something.

"Heh, that's not a good sign. I mean, it's cool when a show tries to do something different, but it has to be done well in order to engage the audience."

That's unfortunate. I was eager to watch it and then when I did, I was kind of glad that I didn't delay watching it to buildup the excitement of watching it eventually (Are you still following what I mean?):). If I had done that, I think I would have been more disappointed.

When I saw the trailer for next week I went from deflated to hopeful because it looks like one of the lighthearted episodes of the series, and I usually prefer them than the dark/dramatic episodes.

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

As much as I'm glad that Twelve is showing signs of affection,it's sad that we know he will lose Clara and this is his last chance to do so.

The two of them growing closer together is a natural progression of their friendship, but I wonder if it was also done to make Clara's departure even more heartbreaking. We as the audience will care more since we've seen the Doctor care more about her. Ugh, Clara's last episode is really going to suck from an emotional standpoint. Clara isn't my favourite Companion, but I love watching her and Twelve interact with each other.

I find it funny that Clara still wears heels even when she should know she will probably have to run.

Yeah, I'm surprised we never heard any news about Jenna Coleman twisting an ankle while filming. Perhaps it's part of the audition process for new Companions. They have to be able to run in heels. ;-)

When I saw the trailer for next week I went from deflated to hopeful because it looks like one of the lighthearted episodes of the series

I'm sure it won't be too dark. They need something light before the season finale, which will undoubtedly be dark and sad.

[cynthia2015.livejournal.com]

If Jenna had left in the last Christmas special, we would have seen Twelve just regretful of how he treated Clara before he lost her. Now I agree it's going to impact on him more that they have reestablished their bond. Why do the champions departures have to be full of angst?. The only good reason I can think of is to show how much the Doctor cares about them.

It takes some skill to wear heels walking, let alone running. The last time I wore proper heels was at my school formal. I know Catherine Tate wore runners off screen, even when Donna was suppose to be wearing heels. I don't blame her.:D

With RTD, the level of tension within the stories would escalate as the series progresses. Moffat seems to mix it up. I don't know what to expect. I don't like it too dark unless the story is creative. I watch the show mainly for some fun escapism.

[newnumber6.livejournal.com]

The first 5 or 10 minutes of the ep was okay, but after that it just became a silly, disjointed mess. I was actually kind of pleased at there being a multi-ethnic cast and then somewhat disappointed that the explanation was that India and Japan joined at some point. Like, the only reason a rescue crew might have two Japanese people and an Indian guy is that they're from the new, future country of Japanese and Indian people? You can't just have an American/British/whatever team that happens to be full of people of Japanese and Indian descent, even in the 38th century? On the other hand, the fact that it shows part of the future where a country other than Europe or America is doing stuff is also kind of welcome, in it's way. (Though of course, coincidentally, the scientist/leader guy is white).

And sorry, but sleep gunk was about the stupidest monster idea ever. One of those ideas so stupid that makes me go back to my pet theory that the Doctor sometimes comes up with really stupid explanations for things just to see if everyone will believe him, while he secretly knows it's something else entirely that's a lot more complicated and boring to explain. Also, gravity does not work that way at all. Yes, Neptune is big, but if you're in orbit of it you don't need special grav shields to avoid getting crushed, you're just in orbit of it. Even if you're close enough to get pulled in, you'd be in free fall until you hit, not pulled to the ground.

I actually kind of liked the revelation of "we don't have helmet cams, so where's this footage coming from." It's one idea that would have worked brilliantly in an episode that wasn't this lame. :P

Anyway, cool that you have a commission waiting for you, and that you have a fellow fan/fans at the Book Club! I actually don't really know that we should consider Capaldi "breaking the fourth wall", because you could easily imagining him explaining all of it to Clara or Frobisher or something (I've long had this idea that, for several incarnations of the Doctor there's been someone living in the TARDIS, with the Doctor's permission, because he/she has nowhere else to go, that's an extreme introvert either by their peculiar nature or because that's part of their alien psychology, and doesn't want to meet any of the companions and only occasionally wants to see the Doctor and have a cup of tea, so I can pretend that the Doctor was explaining it to him/her), it doesn't necessarily have to be to the audience like the "merry Christmas" message.

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

I'm still waiting for them to have Canadians on the show. If the team had been Canadian, the whole multicultural thing wouldn't have been an issue because that's just how the country is. :-)

Though of course, coincidentally, the scientist/leader guy is white

But he was also evil, so that's something? The only thing I found bizarre was how the first transgender actor was hired to play a simpleminded grunt.

I also thought the anti-grav shields were ridiculous, but it's pretty much par for the course when it comes to science in Doctor Who. Now, if they had been accelerating in space, then the g forces would definitely be enough to break apart the Sandmen.

Now I want to see a stuffed penguin somewhere in the TARDIS, since that'd be a sneaky way to have Frobisher on board.

Actually, I might have two commissions. A husband of one of the ladies, who occasionally comes to the meetings, also expressed interest in a scarf. It's a shame I'm not a speed knitter. I could knock these things out like an assembly line and then sell them online for inflated prices. ;-)

[browncoat2x2]

So the signal from the Morpheus pods mutates people into Sandmen? And the scientist guy was going to infect everyone via the signal? And he sent out the footage before the station crashed? So does that mean everyone in the 38th century is now infected and turning into Sandmen? Or when the station crashed, that stopped the signal?

.... Can't stop the signal, Mal ;)

This one didn't grab me enough to even keep my attention diverted from my computer for the full episode :/

[locker-monster.livejournal.com]

You know, when I was typing signal over and over again for that paragraph, I did have a vague giggle because yeah, can't stop the signal. Good to know that the Browncoat in me still appreciates this stuff. ;-)

This one didn't grab me enough to even keep my attention diverted from my computer for the full episode :/

I'm seeing that quite a bit with this episode. People just weren't engaged. Funny how they hyped it up and the reaction was mostly the opposite of what they had hoped for.

[browncoat2x2]

That's often the way of it. They try to hard to *TELL* us how we're supposed to feel, instead of making the episode and the story good enough to evoke the feelings they want us to have. That's my biggest complaint about Moffat's 'Who, he's always *telling* us how awesome something is, instead of actually *making* it awesome. It frustrates me so!