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locker_monsterHad a late night last night so I didn't have time to write a review until today.
I suppose the bulk of Doctor Who is made up of average episodes. They take you on an adventure, and you have fun watching them, but not all of them are instant classics. "The Eaters of Light" wasn't bad, but I don't think it's one I'd watch again and again.
I didn't realize that the writer of the episode, Rona Munro, wrote "Survival". Maybe that's what I'm getting from this episode; a sort of old school Who vibe. The story has a slower pace and it's not all about big action pieces. There was actually quite a few scenes of people talking. You only get a couple of chases and the resolution at the end involved a lot of standing around. An episode doesn't have to be wall to wall action, but they are a bit punchier when characters aren't just waiting and talking.
The thing I really liked was how they used the TARDIS' translation function. First off, Bill figures out why she's speaking Latin all on her own; that was pretty cool. I don't think most people would make that intuitive jump. Bill also gets bonus points for bringing up that the TARDIS does lip syncing, too. Yes! This is rarely brought up in sci fi. A universal translator would translate any language in your ear, but it's not going to change the syllables coming out of the speaker's mouth. Just think about the translators at the United Nations. The words you hear won't match the speaker's lip movements. So really, in Star Trek and whatever else, all conversations should look like a dubbed movie. ;-) And then, the TARDIS starts to translate for the Romans and the Picts and they have that exchange about how they all sound like children. I don't think they've ever explicitly shown the TARDIS breaking down the language barrier between two different armies before. Maybe all wars would be cut short if everyone could understand each other.
As for the rest, with the creatures from another dimension, I got slightly confused on how they worked. So sunrise opens the portal to let them through. Okay. The creatures also seem to suck out all of your energy. The Doctor also says something about how the bodies look like they've been deprived of sunlight. So, the creatures thrive on sunlight? Okay, lines up with the Doctor's dialogue about how the creatures would devour the sun and the stars if they broke through the portal. But why would sunlight burn away the black slime that the creature's tendrils leave behind? If sunlight negates the poison or whatever, wouldn't that mean sunlight is bad for the creatures? But they seemed stronger in the sunlight and that's why everyone had those ruby pieces at the end. I think I need to watch the episode again. And what was up with those wands (for a lack of a better word)? The Doctor says they have light cancelling properties but what are they made up? Are they basically polarized pieces of glass, like sunglasses?
It was also a little frustrating that Bill and the Doctor were separated for most of the episode. We're coming up on the end of Twelve's run here. I want some quality Doctor-Companion screen time! I mean, I know the Doctor and the Companion are usually split up for logistical reasons, and if Bill had stayed with the Doctor she wouldn't have had much to do, but the two of them are so much fun when they're together. I also feel like Nardole wasn't written that well in this episode. He kind of just plods along after the Doctor without making any huge contribution. He isn't just the bumbling comic relief.
And Missy. So she's allowed out of the Vault, but she's still a prisoner. Sure, why not get free labour of her. The Doctor voiced what I've been thinking all along. You have the hope that Missy is turning over a new leaf, but that hope could be easily crushed. Next week looks interesting in that the Doctor is going to let Missy try to save the day. Either this backfires horribly or Missy surprises everyone by actually finding a decent and humane solution. Seeing as we're at the finale, and with John Simm's Master back no less, I don't think things will turn out as well as I hope. Though, maybe Missy will sacrifice herself and that will show she was trying to be a better person. Actually, didn't they want to do with Delago's Master? In his last story he was going to sacrifice himself to save the Doctor but you weren't sure if he was acting as the Doctor's friend or if it was part of a larger scheme. Hmm, maybe Moffat resurrected the idea. We'll see...
Random: Why wasn't Bill wearing a jacket? And why was Nardole in his dressing gown? It looked freakin' cold out in the wilds of Wales. The least the costumer designer could have done was give Bill a jacket so she didn't freeze to death! Oh, and the Doctor's paint splattered jumper was so weird. Why do clothing designers make stuff like this? And speaking of weird clothes, Nardole's toque was just sad. It's inside out! I hate store bought knitted items that are turned inside outside after they're completed. Why put the hard work on the inside of the garment? The line about crows being in a huff just made me laugh. There are a scary amount of crows in my neighbourhood and all of them act like jerks. Would popcorn pop that quickly if thrown directly into a fire? I know you can pop popcorn with a laser (thank you Mythbusters), but even that took a minute or more. It was a funny distraction, though.
Oh god, we're at the finale next week. These are our last few episodes with Twelve and Peter Capaldi. I don't want this season to end.
I suppose the bulk of Doctor Who is made up of average episodes. They take you on an adventure, and you have fun watching them, but not all of them are instant classics. "The Eaters of Light" wasn't bad, but I don't think it's one I'd watch again and again.
I didn't realize that the writer of the episode, Rona Munro, wrote "Survival". Maybe that's what I'm getting from this episode; a sort of old school Who vibe. The story has a slower pace and it's not all about big action pieces. There was actually quite a few scenes of people talking. You only get a couple of chases and the resolution at the end involved a lot of standing around. An episode doesn't have to be wall to wall action, but they are a bit punchier when characters aren't just waiting and talking.
The thing I really liked was how they used the TARDIS' translation function. First off, Bill figures out why she's speaking Latin all on her own; that was pretty cool. I don't think most people would make that intuitive jump. Bill also gets bonus points for bringing up that the TARDIS does lip syncing, too. Yes! This is rarely brought up in sci fi. A universal translator would translate any language in your ear, but it's not going to change the syllables coming out of the speaker's mouth. Just think about the translators at the United Nations. The words you hear won't match the speaker's lip movements. So really, in Star Trek and whatever else, all conversations should look like a dubbed movie. ;-) And then, the TARDIS starts to translate for the Romans and the Picts and they have that exchange about how they all sound like children. I don't think they've ever explicitly shown the TARDIS breaking down the language barrier between two different armies before. Maybe all wars would be cut short if everyone could understand each other.
As for the rest, with the creatures from another dimension, I got slightly confused on how they worked. So sunrise opens the portal to let them through. Okay. The creatures also seem to suck out all of your energy. The Doctor also says something about how the bodies look like they've been deprived of sunlight. So, the creatures thrive on sunlight? Okay, lines up with the Doctor's dialogue about how the creatures would devour the sun and the stars if they broke through the portal. But why would sunlight burn away the black slime that the creature's tendrils leave behind? If sunlight negates the poison or whatever, wouldn't that mean sunlight is bad for the creatures? But they seemed stronger in the sunlight and that's why everyone had those ruby pieces at the end. I think I need to watch the episode again. And what was up with those wands (for a lack of a better word)? The Doctor says they have light cancelling properties but what are they made up? Are they basically polarized pieces of glass, like sunglasses?
It was also a little frustrating that Bill and the Doctor were separated for most of the episode. We're coming up on the end of Twelve's run here. I want some quality Doctor-Companion screen time! I mean, I know the Doctor and the Companion are usually split up for logistical reasons, and if Bill had stayed with the Doctor she wouldn't have had much to do, but the two of them are so much fun when they're together. I also feel like Nardole wasn't written that well in this episode. He kind of just plods along after the Doctor without making any huge contribution. He isn't just the bumbling comic relief.
And Missy. So she's allowed out of the Vault, but she's still a prisoner. Sure, why not get free labour of her. The Doctor voiced what I've been thinking all along. You have the hope that Missy is turning over a new leaf, but that hope could be easily crushed. Next week looks interesting in that the Doctor is going to let Missy try to save the day. Either this backfires horribly or Missy surprises everyone by actually finding a decent and humane solution. Seeing as we're at the finale, and with John Simm's Master back no less, I don't think things will turn out as well as I hope. Though, maybe Missy will sacrifice herself and that will show she was trying to be a better person. Actually, didn't they want to do with Delago's Master? In his last story he was going to sacrifice himself to save the Doctor but you weren't sure if he was acting as the Doctor's friend or if it was part of a larger scheme. Hmm, maybe Moffat resurrected the idea. We'll see...
Random: Why wasn't Bill wearing a jacket? And why was Nardole in his dressing gown? It looked freakin' cold out in the wilds of Wales. The least the costumer designer could have done was give Bill a jacket so she didn't freeze to death! Oh, and the Doctor's paint splattered jumper was so weird. Why do clothing designers make stuff like this? And speaking of weird clothes, Nardole's toque was just sad. It's inside out! I hate store bought knitted items that are turned inside outside after they're completed. Why put the hard work on the inside of the garment? The line about crows being in a huff just made me laugh. There are a scary amount of crows in my neighbourhood and all of them act like jerks. Would popcorn pop that quickly if thrown directly into a fire? I know you can pop popcorn with a laser (thank you Mythbusters), but even that took a minute or more. It was a funny distraction, though.
Oh god, we're at the finale next week. These are our last few episodes with Twelve and Peter Capaldi. I don't want this season to end.
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