tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17682696257404121022024-02-19T13:51:23.186+00:00 THE TIME MEDDLER Televisual and Literary Adventures in Time and SpacePaul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.comBlogger263125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-31192883915081802742021-01-07T18:40:00.004+00:002021-01-07T19:08:14.610+00:00Doctor Who: Revolution of the Daleks<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkylyDOY6fsTO1e8q7B3t9Ly103jlFYqV3ddKeShMMeq_KzaGZZnyZ1nJ_U47TazmR6gjqqpxukBI_heOi4NO7UIopj8k0fUFDV9KFO10nTIfsX-mL1V2hzZ_-Vss78HZk6liTpYczpA/s1200/Doctor-Who-Revolution-of-the-Daleks-poster-landscape.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkylyDOY6fsTO1e8q7B3t9Ly103jlFYqV3ddKeShMMeq_KzaGZZnyZ1nJ_U47TazmR6gjqqpxukBI_heOi4NO7UIopj8k0fUFDV9KFO10nTIfsX-mL1V2hzZ_-Vss78HZk6liTpYczpA/s320/Doctor-Who-Revolution-of-the-Daleks-poster-landscape.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Doctor: 'I was in space jail.'<p></p><p>'Revolution of the Daleks' was the first <i>Doctor Who</i> episode to be released in 4K on the iPlayer. Was it any 4K-ing good? Well, some of it was, but as is mostly the tradition these days, it was marred by missed opportunity, inscrutable Doctor reactions, and inexplicable character returns. Jack Robertson? Really? And a cameo by the P'ting? Oh, Chibnall, you really are spoiling us.</p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>The season 12 cliffhanger was, of course, rectified almost immediately. This could've been a perfect opportunity for the Doctor to examine her own state of mind during incarceration, reflect upon past failures, and maybe spend a few minutes pondering the changes she's been through. In fact, this <i>should've</i> been Thirteen's 'Heaven Sent': a time of isolation, soul searching, and meditation. Which apparently <i>did </i>happen, it just all took place off camera. Which is frustrating for us, as all we got to witness was some generic reassurance from Ryan that everything would be all right, a thank you from the Doctor, and then a swift return to the main plot.</p><p>Wouldn't it have made more sense to have the Doctor explain to her miffed companions that ten months for them had actually been decades for her? One of the most moving parts of 'Hell Bent' was Clara's reaction to the Doctor's sacrifice inside the confession dial. Understanding what Thirteen's been through during her stint in jail could've been the perfect bonding moment for characters desperately in need of some outward show of fam-dom. Yes, the Doctor apologised for her miscalculation, but I never felt as though her companions truly appreciated her predicament or struggle. Which made the whole prison scene little more than set-up for the return of Captain Jack, which although obviously necessary, could've been<i> so much</i> more. </p><p>And why on earth did they bring back Jack Robertson? He was the single worst thing about 'Arachnids in the UK': he was overblown, stereotypical, and offered no meaningful satirical commentary. It's almost impossible to maintain the feeling of threat when one of the show's characters thinks he's on SNL. Robertson's dialogue was presumably meant to be jocular, but if we've learned <i>anything</i> over the last two seasons it's that Chibnall and humour are distant bedfellows. So on the one hand we had the Doctor and Jack looking terrified of the Daleks, and on the other we had Robertson's non-stop quips about purchase order numbers, public relations disasters, and insurance claims. I just wish Chibnall had concentrated more on making Robertson feel like a real person, instead of the inexplicably selfish shit we got. </p><p>I confess to rather liking the plot. The episode's never going to feature in anyone's list of top-ten favourite Dalek stories, the political commentary on budget cuts was so underdeveloped it was hardly there at all, and there were definitely more interesting ideas to be drawn from the idea of Dalek security drones than we got, but what it <i>did</i> offer up was serviceable enough. I even enjoyed the Doctor pulling a spare TARDIS out of her arse at the last minute in order to defeat the Daleks, although destroying a sentient machine in order to achieve victory does feel like something that warrants further elucidation. Yes, the Daleks were made to look stupid yet again as they fell for the Doctor's playground psychology, but that's pretty much de rigueur these days in a show which prizes spectacle over common sense.</p><p>I'm torn on how effective Ryan and Graham's leaving was. On the one hand, kudos to them for not going the predictable route of having one of them kark it. Changing life priorities is a perfectly acceptable reason for anyone to leave Team TARDIS, but again the bulk of the grunt work was done offscreen. If we'd <i>seen</i> Ryan interacting with old friends perhaps his decision to leave wouldn't have felt so forced, but as usual Chibnall chose to tell and not show. Graham leaving to be with his grandson felt a little more organic, although I never fully bought there was much love between the two characters. In fact, I've never felt there's much love between <i>any </i>of the characters. It's just not something Chibanll's spent time developing. And I'm not sure <i>what </i>we were supposed to make of Obiwan Gracenobi at the end. What the fuck was that all about?</p><p>Which brings us to Captain Jack, who I thought had a decent outing. Yes, I rolled my eyes as the Doctor and Jack spent time commenting on each other's looks<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">—</span>particularly in light of just seconds prior Jack emphasizing the short duration of the breakout ball<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">—b</span>ut his conversation with Yaz was probably the highlight of the episode for me. It's not the first time we've heard that sort of speech, but they never fail to give me the fuzzies. And seeing Jack face-to-face with Thirteen more or less delivered. They bounced off each other nicely, and there was a warmth to their dialogue that I enjoyed. I didn't<i> quite </i>understand the Doctor's non-reaction to Jack mentioning Rose, although I'm really at a loss to explain how the Doctor reacts to anything these days. I get that social awkwardness is now her thing, but it really does flatten the potential for any sort of impassioned response from her. She goes through the motions, but I just don't believe it.</p><p>Jack's eventual departure was weirdly abrupt, and him throwing in Gwen's name felt like a shameless attempt at nostalgia, but since it likely gave the fanboys a nerdgasm, I ain't complaining. Remember when festive specials used to be must-watch TV? I'd think I'd even recommend 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio' over this. Nardole seems like a work of Shakespearian genius compared to the empty vessels currently populating our screen. The sad thing is, the bar's set so low at the moment that anything that isn't outright offensive is considered a success. Using<i> this</i> metric, 'Revolution' succeeds. But compared to festive specials of yesteryear, I was left wanting more, and this current creative team only seem capable of giving me more of the same.</p><p><b>Other Thoughts:</b></p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">—</span>I can't make my mind up whether Yaz's conversation with Jack confirmed Thasmin or threw water on it. </p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">—</span>In this COVID 19 era it's so weird to see people hugging onscreen.</p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">—</span>Graham pondering what to do after Ryan told the Doctor he was leaving was priceless. I don't think I've seen a more clumsy piece of acting on the show, and it's up against some stiff competition.</p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">—</span>I would have loved the bye fam moment, if only the Doctor hadn't said, 'Bye, fam.'</p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">—</span>How Tosin managed to say the Mighty P'ting without laughing is beyond me. Mighty, my arse.</p><p><span face=""Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">—</span>The scenes outside No.10 looked like a set. There was no atmosphere, so sense of being outside, and the camera flashes were perfectly uniform.</p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">—</span>Here's hoping that John Bishop gets used better next season, although I won't be betting on it.</p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">—</span>The Mirror broke a story a few days ago that the next season will be Jodie's last. Honestly, I think the problem's more with Chibnall, but he's rumoured to be staying on. So if you were ever wondering whether God exists, now you know. The world is a senseless, cold, inhospitable place, where nothing makes sense and we all die alone. The end.</p><p><b>Quotes:</b></p><div style="text-align: left;">Graham: 'So you've had dealings with Daleks as well, then?'<br />Jack: 'Yeah, they killed me once, long time ago. No big deal.'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yaz: 'Are they all like you there?'<br />Jack: 'No. I'm pretty special.'</div><p>Jack: 'We're the lucky ones, Yaz. Enjoy the journey while you're on it. Because the joy, it's worth the pain.'</p><div style="text-align: left;">Yaz: 'Are you feeling insecure, because you seem to need a lot of praise.'<br />Jack: 'Do I?'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Doctor: 'Find me my fam.'</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Oh, for fuck's sakes...</div><div style="text-align: left;">.</div>Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-11354238587624589472020-03-04T12:39:00.001+00:002021-01-07T18:40:23.539+00:00Doctor Who: The Timeless Children (2)Master: 'The foundling had become the founder.'<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnB4ZbzpvH4lxYjNXHdWYyaaaxViuFY_BTw3ck0CS2fC8VR8TTn_yQMGLt1DXF-relJIxtbWGcDkdDH8SS2NUeJgvqLr4DoEL6siMnp-VrCVXNTJPsa_dK4mzEHSbrIbA8JxGneIppw/s1600/doc4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="818" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNnB4ZbzpvH4lxYjNXHdWYyaaaxViuFY_BTw3ck0CS2fC8VR8TTn_yQMGLt1DXF-relJIxtbWGcDkdDH8SS2NUeJgvqLr4DoEL6siMnp-VrCVXNTJPsa_dK4mzEHSbrIbA8JxGneIppw/s320/doc4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I have<i> </i>mixed feelings about this finale. I quite liked the Timeless Child story, I'm just not sure it was very well executed. It seemed to raise too many immediate conflicts with established lore, and although it's feasible that <i>some </i>of the tensions will be resolved in future adventures, is that Chibnall's intention? How many times this season have we seen consequence ignored for the sake of spectacle? More importantly, is the show in danger of becoming unrecognisable?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The Doctor being the Timeless Child was an ambitious, if ultimately unnecessary, addition (amendment?) to the show's mythology, but just because something's unnecessary doesn't mean it shouldn't exist. I didn't like the way 'The Day of the Doctor' rolled-back the Doctor's destruction of the Time Lords—for me, it weakened our perception of Nine and Ten's guilt-ridden angst—but it's<i> still</i> a really good episode. So you <i>can</i> mess with continuity and succeed. 'The Timeless Children' tried to pull a similar high-stakes stunt, but in hindsight probably didn't go far enough. Most of the questions it raised are solvable, some are inconsequential, and others may even generate worthwhile <i>new</i> lore. In essence: there was some good stuff, some bad stuff, some neutral stuff, and I don't see the show changing much as a result of<i> any</i> of it.<br />
<br />
Obviously the Doctor's history will have to be amended, but she's not going to change as a character... at least no more than she does after every regeneration. They're also going to have to address the carnage that's been inflicted on past events. Why River can regenerate for example, or the purpose of her sacrificing her regenerations when the Doctor evidently didn't need them. How Rassilon now fits into <i>Who </i>history will also need explaining, not to mention why Clara couldn't see beyond Hartnell's Doctor, and why Ruth's TARDIS looked like a police box. So I foresee a tedious season of reconnning ahead, and some cherished stories <i>will</i> undoubtedly suffer. But in general I expect season thirteen to continue in much the same vein as season twelve in terms of story quality, tone, and general content.<br />
<br />
The irritating thing is that outside of the attempted shock tactics, this was a fairly tepid episode. From my perspective—and with a handful of possible exceptions—the show hasn't felt like <i>Doctor Who</i> since Chibnall took over. At best it feels like a <i>Doctor Who </i>spin-off, at worst fan-fiction, and tonight it veered worryingly towards the latter. However, despite being the most controversial part of the story, Tectuen I found rather beguiling. She initially came across as a likeable explorer, who built her own ship, and flew off to discover new horizons. But after discovering the Timeless Child's ability to regenerate, she appeared to take a huge swing over to the dark side, her obsession with immortality causing her to kill the child over and over again. Which let's face it, is a bit troubling, whilst also being rather fascinating. <br />
<br />
And it's taken me two seasons to finally realise it, but Jodie is<i> awful </i>as the Doctor. The writing obviously isn't giving her much to work with—trapping your main character in a paralysis field so she can be talked
at unimpeded for half an hour without any sort of meaningful riposte is <i>not g</i>ood television—but this doesn't explain why her facial expressions, eye movement, and body language are so unconvincing. I understand completely the Doctor being rendered speechless by the secrets of
her past, and that she was in the matrix, etc., but non-reactions are <i>so </i>boring to watch. Any of her prior incarnations would've been <i>livid</i> at the shit spewing from the Master's mouth, but Thirteen was expressionless throughout. Doing virtually nothing in a scene without dialogue is <i>not</i> good acting.<br />
<br />
Companion-wise, this was also a fairly average outing, with no real depth to any of their subplots, and them being separated from the Doctor yet again. Why give her three companions if the writers can't be arsed to use<i> any</i> of them? But I did enjoy their cyber-suit escape, and found the emotional exchange between Graham and Yaz rather touching. Obviously, it would've been better had they built Graham and Yaz's relationship over time, making the interchange all the more impactful, but it did its job I suppose. I saw trolls complaining online that people from Yorkshire aren't that emotionally detached, but I live in Yorkshire and took it for what it was: a playful poke at stereotypical northern reticence. And sadly none of the companions died, which presumably means they'll all be back for the special... worse fucking luck.<br />
<br />
The Cybermen thread was probably the most solid albeit unoriginal part of the episode. The idea of them removing the humanity component from their makeup made sense, and having the Master in the mix, doing what the Master does best, was a sound pairing—even if them working together <i>barely</i> made sense. I was a little disappointed that Brendan turned out to be a much smaller part of the story than anticipated. Ditto Ko Sharmus being just some old dude who turned up at the end to save the Doctor, especially as the episode seemed to be gearing up for something big. That's not to say the Judoon appearing on the TARDIS and taking the Doctor prisoner wasn't significant—how did they even manage to get aboard?—but it was really just setup for the next episode.<br />
<br />
So why do I say I have mixed feelings about the episode when it's abundantly clear that I was underwhelmed by much of it? The sad truth is that last season was<i> s</i>o bad, mediocrity<i> now </i>feels like a triumph. And I would gladly take another season of Chibnall at least <i>trying</i> to do something novel with the show, over... whatever last season was. I honestly think he's abandoned his original vision of <i>Doctor Who</i>, and is currently writing a version of the show more in keeping with what he thinks fans want. Sadly, the results are in and he's no Steven Moffat <i>or </i>Russell T. Davies. But the story he sketched out tonight was so bare bones, that its ultimate salvation may be in what's yet to come. There's an opportunity here to tell a genuinely fresh and exhilarating story, but only if they don't shy away from answers.<br />
<br />
On first blush, this drastic change to the landscape looks like it's punched a lot of holes in continuity, but the bulk of it can either be fixed, or at least improved with further revelation. Obviously some things are immutable. Chibnall's gone on record as saying that Ruth is definitely the Doctor, so save the Master being an unreliable narrator or the matrix being wildly inaccurate, we're going to have to accept that the Doctor now predates the Time Lords. But there's so much story still to be told that we can't rule out future story twists softening some of the sharper edges and helping ease in the new status quo. Like I said, I'm not sure as much has changed as Chibnall was hoping, but he still has a lot of work ahead of him before <i>any</i> of this sits right with fans.<br />
<br />
So after a season of Chibnall's <i>Who</i>, followed by a season of
Moffat/Davies pastiches, what can we reasonably hope for from season thirteen? Well,
solid storytelling, with meaningful character development, in the
Whoniverse we all know and love would be a start. But having Jodie at the helm<i> is </i>a worry. Does she have the range to tell the character-heavy story which must<i> surely</i> follow, particularly in light of how poorly she's handled the emotional scenes thus far? The most audacious part of this whole affair is that Chibnall's literally forced the show into telling this story, whether the fans like it or not. But does he have the writing chops to pull it off? At least he had the balls to go big, but whether his boldness ultimately pays off, or whether he needs to be castrated, are questions we'll be better equipped to answer next year.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—No real explanation as to why Ashad was drilling Cybermen last week?<br />
<br />
—How exactly did the Master destroy Gallifrey? I mean, it's fine saying it, but how did he do it? I'd sooner have seen that story than this one.<br />
<br />
—The scene where the Master says he could see the Doctor thinking of ways to escape by looking into her eyes, only for her to immediately look away to hide her intent, was fucking awful.<br />
<br />
—The consolidated viewing figures came in at 4.69, making this the lowest-rated episode since the show's revival in 2005.<br />
<br />
—So they're basically just refusing to tell us where this Master fits in? <br />
<br />
—The Cyber Carrier landing on the ashes of Gallifrey was pog.<br />
<br />
—For the second time this season the BBC have had to issue an apology in response to fan complaints. The first was over the Doctor's non-reaction to Graham's health concerns, and this time was to do with the show's ruined legacy. Have a read. Honestly, I think they should issue an apology over how weak their apology is.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/bbc-responds-to-the-timeless-children-canon-complaints-93292.htm">http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/bbc-responds-to-the-timeless-children-canon-complaints-93292.htm</a><br />
<br />
—The Child's subsequent route from abused minor to active member of The Division is <i>definitely</i> something that warrants further elucidation. <br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Graham: 'I've got an idea. It's a bit of a mad one—quite dangerous and it might not work—but we've got form with plans like that, ain't we Yaz?'<br />
<br />
Master: 'I should have said, "Someone needs to cut you down to size!" Then zapped you. I was just trigger-happy. I'll use it next time.'<br />
<br />
Ko Sharmus: 'You can be a pacifist tomorrow. Today you have to survive.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Live great lives.'Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-57186633273553581982020-02-28T15:04:00.000+00:002021-01-03T15:26:02.994+00:00Doctor Who: Ascension of the Cybermen (1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxQdurPXvQCDPSywBd02aDrmNnojEE2ZsJf0Vg0HN_k14Rg0oV1U4cW3u7SW-FbKkAEAQN-E3GdubKFSQDMUxhYoVxT1wDAzIhJRMs-Yf7VG3b6Mq7c0BXbuyyitnOOKjH59GRnS3Mg/s1600/cyber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="812" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxQdurPXvQCDPSywBd02aDrmNnojEE2ZsJf0Vg0HN_k14Rg0oV1U4cW3u7SW-FbKkAEAQN-E3GdubKFSQDMUxhYoVxT1wDAzIhJRMs-Yf7VG3b6Mq7c0BXbuyyitnOOKjH59GRnS3Mg/s320/cyber.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Ashad: 'Ascension is near!'<br />
<br />
This felt like an episode whose ultimate success depends upon next week's conclusion not stinking. If 'The Timeless Children' fails, then a solid chunk of the ideas introduced tonight will have been for naught, which would be a real shame as 'Ascension of the Cybermen' contained some audacious story beats. The floating cyber heads, however, were <i>not </i>one of them.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>One thing I thought<i> </i>this episode had in spades was movement and tension. Too often of late the peril has felt forced and the pacing disjointed, but tonight the threat was palpable. Although the early location shots reeked of a low budget, the later ship interiors brought some much-needed atmosphere, and the guest cast whilst not brilliantly used—the usual too many new faces, with too little story to go around—did a decent job as the dregs of humanity on the verge of extinction. I don't know whether Ravio's interest in Graham will lead anywhere, or whether he, she, or both will be dead this time next week, but it was a nice moment for Graham nevertheless.<br />
<br />
Speaking of Graham, is it my imagination or is he sounding more and more Cockney as the season progresses? He was even explaining rhyming slang this week. Despite the fact that they split the Doctor from her companions virtually <i>every</i> week now, I rather enjoyed Graham and Yaz's little adventure. Yaz feels like the natural successor to Clara... despite her personality being as empty as Chris Chibnall's good ideas chest. In fact, I'm tempted to say that Clara got more character development in season 7 than Yaz has in the past two years... which is pretty fucking grim. But tonight Yaz took charge, endeavoured to be positive, and tried to reassure. Surely they're not going to kill her too? There's a lot of talk online at the moment about all <i>three</i> companions 'picking turnips with a step-ladder' next week, but at this juncture it's (a) hard to believe Chibnall would be so bold, and (b) harder to believe <i>anyone</i> would care.<br />
<br />
I did like the Doctor getting ratty with her companions though. One thing the Doctor/companion dynamic has been sorely lacking is <i>any</i> sort of internal disagreement. That's just not how a family works, it's not how friendships function, and most importantly it's as boring as shit to watch. But tonight the Doctor actually raised her voice and freely admitted to being reckless. About damn time! Of course, I'm not sure I bought <i>any</i> of it—she's been reckless with them for almost two seasons, why this sudden spasm of self-awareness?—but at least an attempt was made to give the Doctor colour. Tonight she made mistakes, lost her rag, and at times looked half-worried, which in turn generated some natural-sounding dialogue which Jodie handled far better than she does the techobabble.<br />
<br />
As with the Daleks, the Cybermen are a one-note villain with their obsession with conquest, killing, and being generally ghastly all round, so centring the story on Ashad was a clever move as it gave them a modicum of depth. Last week's set up gave us a peek at Ashad's inner workings, and although I think that worked well for his character then, this week felt like more standard Cyber fare, with explosions, heavy-footed stomping, and cries of delete, surrender and some nonsense about the Cybermen rising again. When you bring back such an iconic foe, you have to be prepared to either reinvent the wheel or go for broke. Sadly, Chibnall went the safe route, deeming the Cybermen's return enough to hold our attention, whilst chucking in just enough mystery to keep us wrong-footed. Which if next week's payoff satisfies, will have been a solid gamble.<br />
<br />
But the piece of the puzzle which continues to intrigue—not to mention the most Moffatian—is Ashad. Are he and Brendan one and the same? Outside of Ko Sharmus, there aren't really many other candidates, and Brendan's desire to serve and make a difference sort of fits Ashad's Cyber recruitment story. Or maybe he's one of The Timeless Children. Why he's seemingly immortal is quite the conundrum, not to mention why, despite Brendan ageing, both his adoptive father and mentor remain young. This is the sort of story I like, and that final reveal of a destroyed Gallifrey on the other side of the portal was the proverbial cherry on cake. What the ruddy heck is going on?<br />
<br />
And then the Master turned up. I did enjoy Sacha Dhawan's version of the Master back in 'Spyfall', but there was always the potential that the pantomime element of his personality might dominate. It's too early to say what kind of Master we'll have going forward, but he may as well have appeared dressed as Widow Twanky tonight. His dialogue was way too crafted to sound realistic, as though he were delivering a teaser voice-over rather than having an actual conversation. Hopefully they'll tone it down next week and all of the hanging threads will come together in a satisfying way. Because there's some good stuff here. There's also the possibility of a colossal fuck-up, but I'm throwing caution to the wind and viewing the glass as half full. Here's hoping that Chibnall doesn't spill the water, smash the crystalware, and then shit on it.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—I have no idea what Ashad was doing to that older design Cyberman, but it looked to be nothing good.<br />
<br />
—The Cyber Drones being decapitated heads didn't really work for me. I know we have a new special effects team now, but it doesn't feel like the show's upped its visual game.<br />
<br />
—The Doctor still spends far too much time telling people what to think, be it us or the other characters. 'You can trust us... you don't need to use that against us.... we care'. Yeah... fine, whatever!<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Ashad: 'We know where you are. We will find you.'<br />
If you know where they are, you're already found them, surely?<br />
<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-53895794138904091002020-02-20T23:49:00.000+00:002021-01-03T15:26:02.994+00:00Doctor Who: The Haunting of Villa DiodatiDoctor: 'I love a good plume.'<br />
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<br />
After fears that <i>Doctor Who</i> was in danger of if not <i>quite</i> jumping the shark then certainly skipping daintily over the halibut, tonight's episode was a breath of fresh air. The story was solid, it had bags of atmosphere, and most importantly: Thirteen felt like the Doctor. It's amazing what can be achieved by ripping the pen from Chibnall's ruinous hand. No co-credit this week, no heavy-handed political rhetoric, just a good old fashioned 'ghost story' and some tasty season-arc morsels to nibble on.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Whilst watching tonight's episode I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. It wasn't until we got to the Doctor's end speech that I realised what it was: the characters were <i>actually</i> engaging. The companions acted in ways which revealed something about themselves, the Doctor had both personality <i>and</i> gravitas, the guest cast were entertaining, and the story didn't struggle under the burden of being a public service announcement light on subtlety and frequently devoid of understanding. In short: this is what <i>Doctor Who should've</i> been like from the start of Chibnall's tenure.<br />
<br />
That's not to say it'll go down as an all-time classic, but it was a fine example of what the current show is capable of. It's as though Maxine Alderton thought to herself: 'Flat team structure? Fuck that, she's the Doctor, for Christ's sake... she's gonna get shit done!' Seeing the Doctor acknowledge her authority, ponder its weight, and then act in accordance with it was such a cool moment, it's ridiculous we've had to wait this long. After over a season and a half of the Doctor being an extra in her own show, her admittance to being top dog felt like a forward step in addressing the show's most obvious weakness. Let's hope it wasn't just some single-episode aberration that's immediately forgotten.<br />
<br />
It's probably true that <i>Doctor Who</i> the show wouldn't even exist without Mary Shelley's <i>Frankenstein</i>, so to write a story in which <i>Frankenstein</i> wouldn't exist without <i>Doctor Who</i> felt like a deliciously cheeky angle to pursue. I'm not <i>entirely </i>sure I bought Lord Byron's obsession and subsequent immortalisation of the Doctor in poetry. Thirteen feels like the most asexual Doctor we've had in a while, and at the point where Byron started showing interest in her she hadn't done <i>anything</i> deserving of adulation. They tried to sell it at the end with that shot of the Doctor's knowing half-smile, but Jodie's acting choices are so inscrutable these days that she may well have been reminiscing over a delicious sandwich she once ate.<br />
<br />
Speaking of unrequited love, I wonder who Yaz's enigmatic hero is. Clearly not the cardboard cutout that is Ryan, which leaves who... the Doctor? I hope that's not where they're going with this. There's been zilch in terms of sexual chemistry between<i> any</i> of the main cast members, so pulling this one out of the bag so late in the day would be disastrous. It'd be like Olicity all over again, but <i>much </i>worse. I'm cool with people shipping Thasmin, I just don't want to see it <i>unless</i> it's believable. I suppose it's possible that Yaz was just empathising from past experience and that there's no immediate danger of them mashing together two random cast members, but it definitely felt high enough up in the mix to be significant.<br />
<br />
The Cyberman stuff worked well. I've never been much of a fan of the modern cyber look, mainly because it looks so cheap, but breaking off some face-plate to reveal the occupant beneath played nicely into the body horror aspect of the Cybermen. I was also impressed that they had Ashad quoting Shelley, before forcing said poet into witnessing his own death as part of the solution. That was disturbing. Kudos too for acknowledging the existence of the Capaldi era, with the Doctor's oblique reference to Bill. It's just odd that Chibnall didn't get a writing credit for a story relatively heavy on setup for the final two-parter. Did he just throw Alderton the bare bones of what was required and allow her to run with it? Whatever the case, Alderton is the only current <i>Who</i> writer I'd be happy to see return.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—So do ghosts exist or not? No, and then yes apparently.<br />
<br />
—Is it just me, or did the editing feel a bit harsh at times?<br />
<br />
—The chance of smashing your hand through a window and then getting<i> instantly </i>struck by lightning must be<i> infinitesimally</i> small.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Doctor: 'You ever considered breath mints?'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Sometimes this team structure isn't flat, it's mountainous... with me at the summit, in the stratosphere, alone, left to choose.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Save the poet, save the universe.'<br />
Save the cheerleader, save the world.<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-574350414676323702020-02-14T03:30:00.001+00:002021-01-03T15:26:02.992+00:00Doctor Who: Can You Hear Me?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapeS4BlpSEKBGQExpL3OB_T4rJfI2vXEnav6oaqDkNWorVSwjAyO1NG4W2TLujdsgHwoKOZrvcp46YGkMfZ9DTRGRrnhaaaCf5ZH9nDOaPt7FbEoMGI4XPXWVtz9lAdUHePYJJRs7Fw/s1600/hear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="814" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgapeS4BlpSEKBGQExpL3OB_T4rJfI2vXEnav6oaqDkNWorVSwjAyO1NG4W2TLujdsgHwoKOZrvcp46YGkMfZ9DTRGRrnhaaaCf5ZH9nDOaPt7FbEoMGI4XPXWVtz9lAdUHePYJJRs7Fw/s320/hear.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Doctor: 'I'm talking to myself again, which means the others aren't here.'<br />
<br />
I've finally resigned myself to the fact that this is no longer the <i>Doctor Who</i> I know and love. Chibnall's tried hard this season to make the show more palatable for the seasoned Whovian, but whilst it remains his baby it'll always bear the hallmark of a showrunner at odds with my tastes. And maybe not just mine: the overnights were down again, this time to a measly 3.81m. Bugger!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The show has almost <i>always</i> benefited from the constant introduction of new talent, but the current cack-handedness of the storytelling has finally broken me. For every one thing it gets right, it seems to get two things <i>drastically</i> wrong. Its heart's in the right place—it wants to educate <i>and</i> entertain—but the entertainment component is starting to feel secondary to the compulsory lecture. Worse, the things which don't work aren't just still there, they seem even <i>higher</i> in the mix: from the Doctor's childish, ineffectual nature, to the continued lack of chemistry between the main characters, to the overly-clumsy exposition.<br />
<br />
Take the opening quote: not content with boring everyone to death with her incessant rambling, the Doctor's now doing it when nobody's there. Why? Because the writers know of no other way to set up a story than to shout through the screen at us. They want us to know that the theme of the episode is depression and anxiety, but rather than allowing the story to inform us over the course of fifty minutes, they instead have the Doctor tell us directly how enlightened Islamic physicians were in the mental health field, and then have virtually <i>everyone</i> involved in some sort of mental health crisis. I mean, could they be any subtler?<br />
<br />
As I say every week, the topics themselves aren't the problem: raising awareness of mental health issues is hugely important, and definitely<i> should </i>be the subject of an episode of <i>Doctor Who.</i> 'Vincent and the Doctor' covered similar ground back in 2010, and was hands-down one of the best episodes of the season; maybe even the show. But the story here was too thin, the conclusion too easy, and the getting from A to B just not interesting enough to hold my attention. Which is annoying because the core of the story—two immortals planning a chaos-inducing rampage—was a belter of an idea. Shame they were both foiled by the wave of a sonic screwdriver.<br />
<br />
Presumably the development surrounding the companions is what earned Chibnall his co-writing credit. Despite wishing we'd had Yaz's origin story sooner—and as this was a stand-alone, we most definitely could've—this felt like a solid bit of character work all round. Yaz's past was beautifully written and sensitively acted by Mandip Gill; Ryan re-connecting with Tibo—particularly in light of Tosin Cole's rumoured departure—offered an interesting insight into the mental states of both Ryan <i>and</i> his best friend; and Graham's fears surrounding his own mortality felt heartfelt, realistic, and genuinely moving.<br />
<br />
The Doctor's reaction to Graham sharing his feelings however was fucking abysmal. I don't know whether it was a joke which didn't land, a ball-drop on Jodie's part, a ghastly directorial gaff, or some brilliant piece of character development that went <i>way</i> over my head, but the Doctor's frankly <i>weird</i> reaction to Graham opening up—essentially snubbing him—I found<i> incredibly</i> disappointing. You can argue that it was a character-defining moment for the Doctor, or that she's always been socially awkward and her inability to talk openly about illness was a relatable human trait, but this was the perfect opportunity for the Doctor to impart some <i>real</i> wisdom—drawing upon millennia of coping with loss—and she blew it big time.<br />
<br />
Personally, I think the Doctor's tactless reaction was to make the point that even Time Lords can suffer from anxiety. It just felt <i>so</i> unnecessary, and whilst undeniably making its point—that mental health issues can effect us<i> all</i>—it had the unfortunate side-effect of impacting negatively on the Doctor. Despite being the occasional berk, compassion isn't something she typically lacks. Whatever the writers' intention, this was a poorly written, poorly executed scene in an episode presumably meant to elicit both hope and understanding. You have to be <i>so </i>careful with these complex subjects, as the potential for cock ups is <i>alarmingly</i> high—as this episode aptly demonstrated.<br />
<br />
What I <i>did</i> find interesting was that all three companions were given potential series outs. Ryan is clearly finding it hard to justify living his life at a different pace to his friends, Graham could obviously relapse at any time, and now Yaz has made amends with her past, it's certainly plausible she might want to reconnect with her family and workmates in a more meaningful way. Clearing away the current companions and introducing a new face or two for the Doctor to riff off—this time with an emphasis on character building—might solve some of the show's current issues. But the main problem is the showrunner himself, whose vision for the show—this pseudo-educational character-vacuum of a monstrosity—has made it a shadow of its former self.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—Loved seeing Grace in Graham's dream. Sometimes I wish she'd stayed around a little longer. At this point I'm starting to wish Tim Shaw was still here. How sad is that?<br />
<br />
—I wish the companions' personal lives played more of a part in the ongoing narrative, rather than appearing and disappearing as the topic of the week demands.<br />
<br />
—The story is <i>always</i> paramount. It doesn't matter how important you feel the central themes are, if you sacrifice your story on the altar of noble intentions, it doesn't matter how clearly you get your point across, your story will almost always fail.<br />
<br />
—This week's main theme was mental health issues. So what about them? What is the Doctor's perspective on them? What can she offer by way of succour? The answer of course was nothing.<br />
<br />
—The Doctor freeing her sonic screwdriver was like something out of a cartoon. I watched it half a dozen times and I'm still not entirely sure how she did it.<br />
<br />
—I rather liked the animated section. Very <i>A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.</i><br />
<br />
—All manner of classic series mentions to keep the fanboys happy: from the Eternals, to the Guardians, to the Toymaker. Shame the referenced individuals are so much more interesting and from vastly superior stories.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Doctor : 'Of course, Islamic physicians are known for the enlightened way they treated people with mental health problems.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Do you have any idea where those planets might be?'<br />
Graham: 'You get me an A to Z of the universe and I'll be able to stick my finger straight on... no, I've got no idea.'<br />
<br />
Ryan: 'It's like we're living at different rates.'<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-40488814437753615392020-02-07T01:35:00.000+00:002021-01-03T15:26:02.993+00:00Doctor Who: PraxeusDoctor: 'I'm always a sucker for a scientist.'<br />
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<br />
After last week's bombshell-dropping instalment and general upturn in quality, tonight's offering felt like a slide back into mediocrity. Although the story itself was satisfactory, and there was nothing particularly offensive about the way the science lesson was delivered, the whole thing felt flat. Clearly it followed on from last week's instalment, but the Doctor wasn't kidding when she called it a distraction. Where did all the good stuff go?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>I suppose it was predictable that the bulk of the mid-season setup would take a back seat until episode nine, but I expected the odd mention of Ruth and Gallifrey, especially with Chris Chibnall taking a writing credit alongside Pete McTighe. Whereas in previous co-written episodes it's been relatively easy to speculate on who wrote what, I found it much harder to guess tonight as this was ostensibly a stand-alone devoid of any season arc continuity. At least that's how it felt. Did they slip something past us that could later reappear as significant? Or was McTighe's original script so problematic that Chibbers had to step in to save it?<br />
<br />
By far the strongest element of tonight's story was the relationship between Adam and Jake. Finally a gay couple that weren't just some token gesture who get obliterated immediately. I rolled my eyes at what seemed like Jake's inevitable death, only to be pleasantly surprised to see the Doctor save him at the last minute. True, the way she did it was frustrating, as are all TARDIS/sonic screwdriver saves—mainly because they're almost <i>always </i>a product of lazy storytelling—but since the episode managed to dodge the dreaded 'bury your gays' trope, I was content to look the other way.<br />
<br />
One small criticism: I didn't feel that Warren Brown and Matthew McNulty had much chemistry together. I found Jake's backstory—his failing relationship with Adam, his feelings of inadequacy, etc.—compelling stuff, but when the two characters finally shared a scene, I just didn't feel it. But the action-cop stuff was fun, and I thought Graham's melancholic smile at Jake's comment about the challenges of being married to an impressive person both understated and touching. Finally, a character beat that reflected something of Graham's personality, rather than some generic pap that any of them could've pulled off.<br />
<br />
Shame Ryan wasn't given the same love. Rumours have been rife of late over his potential exit from the show due to his casting in AMC's<i> 61st Street, </i>and it's understandable that Cole would want out of a role which gives him so little to work with. Assuming he <i>has</i> the ability to turn in a good performance. Yaz fared slightly better. Sending her off with Gabriela fitted in perfectly with her desire to both do and be more, and was precisely the sort of thing a probationary police officer might do. In fact, it's amazing what splitting the Doctor from her entourage does for all involved. Which feels like a sad indictment on the current Doctor/companion dynamic; they're just better off apart.<br />
<br />
The microfibre plot I thought worked well. I gritted my teeth, awaiting the last-minute clumsy lecture, only for it never to arrive. As I've said before, it's their delivery method I object to rather than their message. The show frequently grinds to a halt when it engages teaching-mode, but tonight's attempt at ecological awareness felt comparatively subtle and didn't interfere with the story. Admittedly, the fact that nobody knew what 'pathogen' meant, necessitating an explanation from the Doctor, undid some of the good grace they'd earned. They've heard of Rosa Parks, but not Nikola Tesla or the word pathogen? What are they teaching these kids? Surely Graham should've known? He rigged up an IV... the man's practically a doctor.<br />
<br />
Without an actual villain, there wasn't a great deal of tension throughout, although that woman under the sheet (whom no one appeared to give a shit about) opening her eyes and then exploding gave me a bit of a start. And as is the norm, the episode looked great: the bird CGI looked very Hitchcockian, and the prosthetics were splendid. But every week the companions are overshadowed by the <i>infinitely</i> more compelling guest cast. I'm starting to think there's an argument for turning in the occasional Doctor-lite script that focuses solely around a single companion. Not that I want to see less of the Doctor—in fact even<i> she</i> could do with an episode detailing what makes this current incarnation tick—but at this juncture I'm starting to worry that the actors will leave before their characters have a chance to blossom.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
—I want a talking cat episode and I want it NOW!<br />
<br />
—I think the biggest issue I'm having with the companions this season is that the guest cast are doing the companion's jobs, leaving them with little to do.<br />
<br />
—There's a fascinating theory circulating on Twitter that Yaz—either knowingly or unknowingly—is working for the Master. Now that would be spicy.<br />
<br />
—Overnights were 3.97m. Not good.<br />
<br />
—I wish the Doctor had more of an internal monologue. The writers seems obsessed with having her explain everything that she sees, hears or thinks.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
None.<br />
<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-40683501919592798512020-01-30T18:31:00.000+00:002021-01-03T15:26:02.993+00:00Doctor Who: Fugitive of the Judoon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Doctor: 'You don't know me. Not a little bit.'<br />
<br />
Okay, that the show is currently in the process of a <i>savage</i> course-correction, at this point seems irrefutable. This is <i>not</i> the show of last season, nor is it Chibnall's <i>Who</i> from eight years ago, this is now a full-on greatest hits show... and is both better and worse for it.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The return of Captain Jack and the Judoon were straight from the Russell T. Davies playbook—as was the Earth in jeopardy stuff, the alien invasion, and the Judoon poetry. ('Judoon platoon upon the moon.' - Smith and Jones.) The Judoon's return was something that I wasn't particularly excited to see—let's face it, who was bar perhaps RTD himself?—but I thought they worked well in a secondary capacity to Gat and the unfolding mystery surrounding Ruth.<br />
<br />
And the appearance of an as-yet unexplained Doctor was pretty much Moffat 101. Materialising a character from seemingly nowhere, and making her existence appear virtually impossible is something the show used to do so well, and tonight hit with a force almost unthinkable under Chibnall. A show which plays with its own history, revisits it, and occasionally rewrites it, I'm <i>all </i>about: especially when done right. Whether Chibnall is capable of pulling off a satisfying explanation to this madness of his own making I'm <i>less</i> convinced of, but two weeks ago I wasn't sure he could tie his own shoelaces without garroting a puppy, so miracles <i>can</i> and <i>do</i> happen.<br />
<br />
Whether the return of Captain Jack—or more accurately, the return of John Barrowman being John Barrrowman—amounts to anything worthwhile <i>also</i> remains an unknown. I'm genuinely curious as to whether Chibnall will tone down Jack's I-want-to-fuck-everything shtick to better suit the show's more PC narrative, or whether on seeing the Doctor the Captain will fall back into old habits. That's assuming we see him again this season. If this was just a one shot and done, it really <i>will </i>diminish the overall impact. And although generally pleased to see Captain Jack back, the way in which they introduced him not only felt redundant to the immediate story, but looked suspiciously like it'd been filmed in a deserted rave warehouse. A moment definitely richer in shock value than narrative value, but in a show where <i>both</i> are inexplicably thin on the ground, I'll take anything I can get.<br />
<br />
Jo Martin on the other hand, brought us the dashing, strong, assertive Doctor that's been missing from the heart of the show ever since Chibnall took over. Although Thirteen was much improved playing alongside her mysterious alter ego—I think Jodie does better with the quieter, more reflective material—the new Doctor's presence and vibrant ensemble is <i>really</i> what stole the show. In many ways I found her a more convincing bad-ass than Hurt's War Doctor, who felt altogether too cute at times. Whether she's part of our Doctor's rich lineage, an impostor, or some alternate dimension Doctor, her appearance is hands-down the most interesting thing to happen to the show in years.<br />
<br />
In fact, I wouldn't mind if Ruth accidentally threw Thirteen and Co. into a wormhole, and took over the show completely. Despite their limited screentime, I found both her and Lee<i> infinitely </i>more interesting than<i> any</i> of the current cast—proof if it were needed that you<i> can</i> establish interesting characters quickly and convincingly if you're willing to put in the work. Not that the current companions were given any such love. Again Larry, Curly and Moe were given virtually nothing to do save awkwardly populate the wide shots. There was even a hilarious moment where they were just sat on their arses, watching the Doctor work. At this point, it's as though the writers are deliberately trolling us. Even having Jack teleport them all aboard his ship served little purpose other than to set up the season finale.<br />
<br />
Boring companions aside, was tonight's shake-up a step in the right direction? Well, it certainly thrilled in places, elicited the odd guffaw, and gave me that feeling I used to get when <i>Doctor Who</i> was in its prime. But it also felt like something of a retread. Clearly Chibnall's stripped-down vision for the show didn't reinvigorate the franchise in the way the BBC were hoping, but stealing ideas and jokes from a more successful era doesn't feel like the way to go either. Personally, I'd prefer to see a unique vision which draws on the show's history without overtly repeating it, but I'll take the direction of the past two episodes over <i>anything</i> we got last season. This is how I thought <i>Doctor Who</i> would be under Chibnall; I'm just puzzled as to why it's taken us sixteen episodes to get here.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
—I confess, I don't really understand the logic of stripping the show of its historical baggage last season, and then swamping us with it this season. If it was too confusing for the viewer then, how is it any less so now?<br />
<br />
—'You ask too many questions.' Again, a critique often thrown at the Doctor manifests in her own dialogue. Are they really so oblivious to the irony?<br />
<br />
—The Judoon really hate knitting.<br />
<br />
—Presumably Chibnall got a writing credit because of the Captain Jack stuff? If so, kudos to Vinay Patel for doing such a good job of bringing Ruth, Lee and All Ears Allan to life.<br />
<br />
—Doctor Ruth! I really should have guessed earlier.<br />
<br />
—Again the Doctor tells her companions that they don't know her. How about fixing the problem, rather than continually restating it?<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Look at you, and your platoon of Judoon near... that lagoon.'<br />
Yaz: 'More a canal.'<br />
<br />
Lee: 'You're in charge, right?'<br />
Doctor: 'It's a very flat team structure.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'The Doctor never uses weapons.'<br />
Ruth: 'I know. Shut up!'<br />
<br />
Graham: 'Not just mates. Family.'<br />
Is this supposed to be character development? The Doctor calls them 'fam' back in week one, and Graham finally agrees?<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-202450710206207792020-01-23T11:38:00.000+00:002021-01-03T15:26:02.992+00:00Doctor Who: Nikola Tesla's Night of Terror Doctor: 'I've seen more than you can possibly imagine.'<br />
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<br />
It may have taken fifteen months to get here, but this is the first episode of the Chibnall era that I've liked. It wasn't of 'Listen' or 'Hell Bent' quality—I'm not sure such greatness is even possible under the current creative team—but it told a solid, simple story, the companions were utilised sensibly, and not only were its guest actors given compelling stories, they also turned in good performances. Best of all: the companions finally got to dress up in period costume. Yay!<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>I'll admit, knowing that Nina Metivier script-edited the mostly dreary season eleven <i>didn't </i>fill me full of confidence in her ability to bash out a satisfying script. True, the episodes she was involved in—'The Woman Who Fell to Earth' and 'It Takes Me Away'—were two of the season's less stinky offerings, but it <i>still </i>felt like scant reason for hope. Thankfully, there's a<i> world </i>of<i> </i>difference between script-editing and script-writing, and tonight's story crackled with purpose, humour, and felt like a good old-fashioned fun historical. For the second time this season, the show felt like <i>Doctor Who again.</i><br />
<br />
Focusing the story on Tesla's struggle for recognition and funding felt like the right move, as did the inclusion of Edison; although I have to say, Tesla was written far more sympathetically than his rival, who often came across as grumpy, greedy, and occasionally unethical. Why Metivier chose to emphasise Edison's negative traits whilst virtually <i>deifying</i> Tesla I'm not sure, but it's probably as simple as Tesla being the subject of the story. As such, going into Tesla's distasteful views on eugenics, his opinion of the modern woman, or his numerous social gaffs, would've been (a) detrimental to his rootability and (b) a shitty example for kids... so I understand why they were omitted. I'm not sure<i> anyone</i> can withstand the scrutiny of a different era and come away smelling of roses anyway.<br />
<br />
I was also pleased that both Goran Visnjic and Robert Glennister played their respective parts with the seriousness and respect they deserved, and there was none of the awful overacting guest actors sometimes think de rigueur. Had Visnjic really hammed it up, Tesla's fall into obscurity and poverty would've had far less resonance. And to see the Doctor fangirling over Tesla was actually quite sweet. Tesla is the sort of technological hero that suits Thirteen's hands-on, up to her elbows in grease sensibilities, so their shared wonder at invention made absolute sense.<br />
<br />
Even Queen Skithra had her own charm, and definitely benefited from the scenery chewing of Anjli Mohindra. Playing monsters is where guest actors<i> </i>can legitimately go for broke, and Mohindra went large. I don't know how successful the Skithra were as world-conquering monsters—what with their terrible cornering and penchant for smashing into one another—but save swapping them out for clockwork monsters (which may have suited the steampunk-esque vibe better), they were nicely realised, and provided the necessary stimuli to get the cast in motion. It was also nice to see Anjli Mohindra back in the <i>Doctor Who</i> fold. Kudos to Chris Chibnall for continuing the show's long tradition of reusing actors.<br />
<br />
I still think there are too many companions in a ten episode show to be useful, but when the story has pace and sensible progression, you notice it less. Graham undoubtedly had some good lines, but the brief resurgence of Ryan's dyspraxia sadly produced little of substance. If you're going to introduce a character suffering from a coordinational disorder, then at least use it. Each week could bring a new challenge for Ryan to solve in his own unique way, adding richness to his character, and forcing the writers to solve problems in unconventional ways. This feels like such a rich vein of character-defining material just <i>begging</i> to be tapped, yet nobody seems willing pick up an axe and dig.<br />
<br />
But it is what it is. This is a show currently focused on education, and for this week at least they got the balance between edification, drama and comedy mostly right. It didn't reach anywhere <i>near</i> the heights of 'Vincent and the Doctor', but it smashed 'The Shakespeare Code', and definitely gave 'The Unquiet Dead' a run for its money. It was also <i>beautifully</i> shot and directed. Nida Manzoor will be returning for the Judoon-fest next week, so here's hoping for another handsomely produced outing.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—So all three companions knew who Rosa Parks was last season, yet nobody knew who Nikola Tesla was tonight?<br />
<br />
—While we're on the subject of continuity: mindwipes for Khan and Lovelace two weeks ago, yet Tesla and Edison went without?<br />
<br />
—Anjli Mohindra played Rani Chanbra in <i>The Sarah Jane Adventures</i>.<br />
<br />
—No pre-credit scene <i>again</i>? That's twice this season. Just when you thought things were getting back to normal...<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Skerrit: 'Is she always this impertinent?'<br />
All: 'YES!'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'I made it... mainly out of spoons.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'If I'd have known we were going to have a royal visit, I'd have put the kettle on.'<br />
<br />
Graham: 'Don't worry, this ain't our first rodeo.'<br />
Ryan: 'You've never been to a rodeo.'<br />
Graham: 'You're not helping, Ryan.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'And what are you queen of exactly? A stolen ship and second hand guns? A queen of shreds and patches. You're not a ruler, you're a parasite.'<br />
<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-66484703554678740952020-01-14T20:34:00.000+00:002021-01-03T15:26:02.994+00:00Doctor Who: Orphan 55Vilma: 'Benni!'<br />
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<br />
After a moderate upturn in quality last week, tonight was business as usual. The sad thing about <i>Doctor Who</i> these days is that an episode can contain great ideas, look superb, be full of agreeable political commentary, and yet <i>still</i> be utter shite. Tonight's story had a solid if well-worn story at heart, but was let down by mad pacing, underdeveloped characters, and an environmental message so clumsily delivered that it left me winded.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The minute Benni pulled out that ring, I <i>knew</i> he was dead. His request that someone shoot him was delightfully chilling, it was everyone's reaction to his proposal that I found problematic. Despite coming at the <i>worst possible</i> time, Yaz looked as though she were witnessing the most romantic gesture <i>ever</i>. You're surrounded by Dregs, Yaz. Now is <i>not</i> the time or place for a marriage proposal. If only Benni had been killed in the initial attack on Tranquillity Spa, maybe we wouldn't have had to endure Vilma repeatedly shrieking 'Benni!' at the top of her lungs. Poor Julia Foster. Vilma was such a terribly written, uninspiring character, that not even Foster's vast acting experience could elevate her above the ghastly. Worse, she was almost an archetype for the characters to come, all of whom felt underdeveloped, were hampered by lacklustre performances, and had wafer-thin backstories.<br />
<br />
For example, Bella and Kane's story <i>could</i> have been good<i> if</i> it'd been given room to breathe. But the abandoned daughter plot seemed to appear out of nowhere, as did Kane returning to save Bella, only for them to have some sort of weird bonding moment that utterly failed to generate pathos. There was just <i>no</i> depth to either character. Kane was unrelatable, and Bella switched from wanting to blow everything up, to running headlong into danger with mumsie, <i>so</i> quickly that I initially thought it a ruse. I half expected Kane to hold out her hand, for Bella to take it... and then blow her fucking head off. Now that would've been a twist.<br />
<br />
I have no idea what the thumb sucking at the end was about, either. I know it was a throwback to the Hopper virus scenes at the beginning, but other than that, what was the point? Remember when we were hallucinating and felt like shit? Yeah, good times. And what a waste to bring on someone of Laura Fraser's abilities, only to give her a tiny story which required nothing more than she wander around looking irritated. Ditto James Buckley from <i>The Inbetweeners</i>. Surely they could've managed something more inventive than sticking him in a green sci-fi wig and giving him some rushed story about a genius son who almost gets the Doctor killed by throwing a badly timed strop? Some genius. Did I mention the wig? I did? Good.<br />
<br />
The Doctor I thought had a generally good episode. I like it when she's proactive, and when the words that come out of her mouth relate to what's going on around her, and aren't just a barrage of silliness and questions. But I couldn't help but laugh when she said: 'I don't need a second person for a conversation. A lot of time, they just get in the way.' Hime probably wrote it as a joke about the Doctor being the cleverest person in the room, but it felt suspiciously like a commentary on the frequent pointlessness of the current Doctor's speeches.<br />
<br />
In fact, there was a lot of narrowly applied dialogue which could've been expanded into meta commentary. Graham saying, 'I am going to sit over there for three hours, then I'm going to sit somewhere else, and then cocktails,' could so easily have been a dig at the under-use of<i> all</i> the companions, the bland storylines they're often given, and the ease at which they're sidelined. And Bella's 'Pretending to be stupid, so people have to answer your question' line, although aimed at Ryan, could have been an amusing poke at Thirteen's preferred method of interrogation. Not that it ever works.<br />
<br />
The good stuff was the story itself, which was familiar, but ineptly executed. Which pretty much sums up the episode. Even the monsters were initially effective, but as the story raced along, grew gradually less convincing. For apex predators, there was just too much static posturing, shots of claws scraping along miscellaneous surfaces, and howling at the sky. Plus, the plot was just one big runaround, punctuated by puzzlingly frequent character sacrifices, none of which amounted to much as Vilma was an irritation, Kane's sacrifice didn't stick, and Bella's was averted at the last minute. Sacrifices are supposed to have impact and elicit sadness. They should never make the viewer feel relief or happiness—yet I joyfully punched the air when they binned Vilma, before sighing with a satisfaction so deep that I almost deflated a lung.<br />
<br />
And what were we supposed to make of the fourth wall-breaking speech at the end? The narrative itself made it perfectly clear that this was a story with modern-day implications, so to clumsily repeat the central message really <i>did</i> feel like overkill. The growing threat of ecological disaster and the need to do something now is something I'm <i>fully</i> behind, and a story about the subject that shows the potentially catastrophic outcome of human inactivity sounds like just the ticket. I just wish they'd let the story do the heavy lifting, instead of ruining it with some inelegant last-minute appeal to our conscience. We get the message. You did your job. Now stop hitting us over the head, please! I'm losing the will to live.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>—For six coupons Graham got a free holiday for four, with an open bar? That's some offer.<br />
<br />
—When the automated voice said 'Master station', did anyone else pause over the use of the word Master?<br />
<br />
—What is it with Ed Hime and characters with shitty parents?<br />
<br />
—I'm not sure what to say about Hyph3n, nor the Doctor's initial puzzlement over the 3 in her name. Has she never had a terrible password?<br />
<br />
—It's hard to believe that no one has ever walked more than 20 feet outside of Tranquillity Spa's main building.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Graham: 'Are you have a laugh, mate? I'm a bus driver.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'If I had crayons and half a can of spam, I could build you from scratch.'<br />
<br />
Vilma: 'Has one of you hurt my Benni?'<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-22002918631495837752020-01-08T13:06:00.002+00:002021-01-03T15:26:02.993+00:00Doctor Who: Spyfall (2)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lZWzzMbbcFjrxwcvM0VDhpOnwxbsbTA5ddr598jARvORmukfEHZyHt27h-_aZIBPmSLd4qWFqDPLKQoBxvGMOzUvzCTtCLtKzFK7xkRTSLCXvzRnKNTG9HVYt4PmK594V9ko1iiPBw/s1600/Doct2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="955" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lZWzzMbbcFjrxwcvM0VDhpOnwxbsbTA5ddr598jARvORmukfEHZyHt27h-_aZIBPmSLd4qWFqDPLKQoBxvGMOzUvzCTtCLtKzFK7xkRTSLCXvzRnKNTG9HVYt4PmK594V9ko1iiPBw/s320/Doct2.jpg" width="320" /></a>Doctor: 'These are the dark times. But they don't sustain. Darkness never sustains, even though sometimes it feels like it might.'<br />
<br />
I expected to lose many things during Chris Chibnall's tenure—plot complexity, writing talent, story continuity, humour, my mind—what I didn't expect was for the show to feel <i>nothing</i> like <i>Doctor Who</i>. Tonight's episode took a tentative step towards at least acknowledging some of the problems. That's not to say it was a great episode—in fact, it was downright awful in places—but it did some things right, and for the first time since Chibnall took over, it felt like <i>Doctor Who</i> again.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Chibnall made <i>many</i> mistakes when he took charge, but for me the most egregious was to distance the Doctor from her past. The intention was obviously to relieve the continuity burden for the millions he hoped would flock to the newly revitalised franchise. Sadly, all it did was alienate a significant chunk of the show's existing fanbase, empty the Doctor of virtually everything that made her interesting, and make it nigh on impossible for her travelling companions to ask the most fundamental question of all: who is the Doctor?<br />
<br />
Remember back in 'The End of the World' when Nine bemoaned the impermanence of life, confessed to a troubled past, and was immediately adopted into Rose's surrogate family? Or in 'Gridlock' when Ten opened up to Martha about the fate of Gallifrey, before waxing lyrical about its beauty to the tune of Abide With Me? These weren't just throwaway scenes, they were real bonding moments: frequently moving, always heartfelt, and undeniably necessary. They're also scenes the Chibnall era has stubbornly refused to provide. Until tonight.<br />
<br />
Tonight, Graham finally got to ask the big question, and although the Doctor's answer wasn't as lyrical, verbose or emotional as on previous occasions, it felt like a start. Here's hoping that the getting-to-know-you phase has finally begun, and that the Doctor's 'fam' will become family in more than just name alone. Yes, it's probably a season overdue, but I'll take that over it never happening at all, because as things stand I have a stronger relationship with my mum's old heated rollers than these characters have with each other.<br />
<br />
Whittaker's performance tonight also felt much improved. When she's given sensible dialogue, a logical path of development, and a situation which doesn't allow for incessant arsing about, she's <i>infinitely</i> more convincing. If Chibnall could just drop what he imagines to be the character-building rambles, cut the question count down to a three-in-a-row minimum, and stop it with the god awful 'I love [insert blandest shit ever here]', then the Doctor would have something resembling a likeable personality. Jodie <i>can</i> act; Chibnall <i>can</i> write good dialogue; is it too much to ask that they both do it in the same show?<br />
<br />
Dhawan's Master I like. In fact, the exchanges between Dharwan and Whittaker were my favourite parts of the episode. Finally something for the actors to sink their teeth into, and both rose admirably to the challenge. I'm not altogether sure I like the idea of wrecking Gallifrey again so soon after the 50th anniversary rescued it from extinction, but if it gives the season momentum, and inspires better cast performances, then so be it. One thing I <i>did</i> hate, however, is how the Doctor left an Asian man at the mercy of the Nazis. I'm no expert, but what kind of fucked-up pacifist finds war abhorrent, yet this sort of bullshit acceptable? At worst, the scene felt like a cock up of gargantuan proportions, at best just grossly insensitive.<br />
<br />
Both Lenny Henry and the Kasaavin had smaller roles than I anticipated, but I thought the latter showed considerable promise, and are probably the first Chibnall-created monster that I'd be happy to see return. Interesting inclusion of Ada Lovelace and Noor Inayat Khan, too, although I'm not sure a Bond spoof was the right place to tell Khan's story. The mindwipe was also sad, particularly in light of Clara Oswald's heartfelt insistence that memories are the rightful property of their owner. And I know it would've been insensitive to change actual history, but when you know a person's fate—Noor's life ended in Dachau—something inside me hoped that the Doctor would save her anyway. But the Doctor rarely intervenes these days. Good performances from both Sylvie Briggs and Aurora Marion though.<br />
<br />
The past three episodes have seen a shift in the direction of the show, and it's a change I'm happy to see. There's still a lot of work to be done on a foundational level, but a course correction of sorts does appear to be occurring. Whether Chibnall has the skills to pull it off, or whether this is just an accidental blip in his masterplan to make the show utterly unrecognisable, remains to be seen. But at least the classic monsters/villains are back, the Doctor can once again talk about her past in a meaningful way, a story arc about Gallifrey seems to be in the offing, the Moffatian timey-wimey stuff is back (albeit briefly), and they finally managed to crack a funny gag. As the Doctor says in the opening quote: the dark times don't sustain. Here's hoping there's at least some truth to that.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—The Doctor can sense the Master's presence? Why couldn't she sense him last week?<br />
<br />
—No official explanation yet on where this new Master fits in, but hopefully it will be addressed at some point.<br />
<br />
—Graham's laser shoes weren't my favourite part of the episode, but they were no worse than Ten attempting to subdue a Pyrovile with a water pistol.<br />
<br />
—The Doctor forgetting to save them on the plane, necessitating a trip back through time to implement a plan, was the funniest thing I've seen the show do in a long time. More of this, please.<br />
<br />
—The Timeless Child is back. Deeply seeded plotting, or shameless development of what was originally a throwaway line? Discuss!<br />
<br />
—Did the plot make any sense at all? Asking for a friend.<br />
<br />
—Despite their limited screentime, Ada and Noor felt better drawn than<i> any</i> of the Doctor's current TARDIS-mates. Maybe the Doctor's next companions should be from different historical eras? Even <i>actual</i> people might work.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Go about your day knowing that you may tell people you were privileged to witness the marvellous apparating man... lady... apparating lady.'<br />
<br />
Master: 'Everything you think you know is a lie.'<br />
<br />
Yaz: 'Ryan, don't tell them the plan.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'I love laminators!'<br />
<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-12294615847015695442020-01-04T11:37:00.002+00:002021-01-03T15:26:02.993+00:00Doctor Who: Spyfall (1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Doctor: 'I've had an upgrade. Hi.'<br />
<br />
This felt like an average opener. It did little to resolve the problems of season eleven—they're still there, front and centre—but at least some of Chibnall's worst excesses were toned down. Whether it stays that way remains to be seen, but the plot was serviceable if a little silly, the guest actors a welcome distraction, and mercifully there were no talking amphibians. At least, not yet.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The Master reveal I thought particularly well handled. It takes a miracle these days to keep a major plot point secret, but I wasn't spoiled on social media, nor did I suspect anything whilst watching, so it was nice to experience something unexpected. Finally an episode which genuinely surprised. Yes, the real O being a champion sprinter felt like a naff way of breaking it (particularly on the basis of information the viewer didn't have), but I was generally quite taken by Sacha Dhawan's performance. From the little we've seen, his Master seems more John Simm than Michelle Gomez, but if they concentrate more on his sinister genius rather than his wisecracking high jinx, they <i>could</i> be onto something worthwhile.<br />
<br />
Of course, a development of this magnitude raises many questions: like whether anything of Missy's remorse remains, or whether this is a full-on factory reset. It seems more like advanced identity theft than a true regeneration, so it'll be fun to discover which Master this actually is. It's presumably a Master the Doctor knows, otherwise why hide behind O's physical form, but will it be a Master <i>we</i> know? And I <i>really</i> enjoyed the as-yet unidentified illuminated lifeforms. Their hiddeness suggest a returning entity rather than a brand new creature—which with the Judoon and Cybermen slated to appear at some point this season, would make sense—but I really hope they manage to sting us with a second surprise.<br />
<br />
The Doctor I'm still unsure about. Sometimes she comes across as in control... and then she starts shouting 'snap!' and saying 'kisses' and suddenly it's season eleven again. With Doctors prior to Thirteen, this sort of frivolity came across as eccentricity as he was so knowledgeable in other areas. You don't get <i>any</i> sense of that with Thirteen. Plus, her dialogue just <i>isn't</i> funny. When you compare the current Doctor's humorous exchanges with <i>anything</i> from the Davies/Moffat era, they're not even in the same multiverse. And just when you thought Chibnall was done with the Doctor's never-ending questions, she only goes and spits out fifteen in a row. Fuck!<br />
<br />
As was the case last season, the multiple companion dynamic feels a little redundant due to there being too little to do for all. We were also inexplicably burdened with a brief recap of stuff we already know: Yaz is still a copper, Ryan's still got barely detectable dyspraxia (absolutely <i>anyone</i> could have missed that basket,) and Graham's cancer is still in remission. So evidently nothing much has changed. They also went out of their way to have Ryan and Yaz explain their recent absence from real life, despite the TARDIS being a time machine and there being absolutely no reason to do so. An embedded feature of the show is that you can always come back right after you leave: that's how Clara managed to lead a double life back in season eight. Sometimes, it's as if Chibnall has no idea what <i>Doctor Who</i> is actually about.<br />
<br />
The Bond pastiche was fine, although I'm not sure we needed that motorcycle chase or any of the tuxedo wearing nonsense. If you're going to do a Bond-themed episode, at least make an attempt to dig deep and do something clever. Getting Jodie to say 'Doctor, the Doctor,' really was the lowest of all the hanging fruits. But there's no denying that the episode was beautifully shot. As was Stephen Fry, right in the back the head. Shame that, I'd like to have seen more from C. Thankfully, Lenny Henry seems to have been given more to do. He's a surprisingly good actor these days, and Barton seems more serious than comedic, so hopefully he'll get a chance to put his Shakespearean chops to good use.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—What kind of bullets bounce off chrome headlights?<br />
<br />
—Didn't Missy already crack the 'upgrade' joke over three years ago??<br />
<br />
—Moffat and Gatiss' new show <i>Dracula </i>aired after tonight's episode and revealed a tantalising connection to <i>Who</i> by referencing an 'adorable barmaid' at the Rose and Crown.<br />
<br />
—A fairly clear statement from Chibnall that UNIT and Torchwood are both gone.<br />
<br />
—The overnight viewing figures were 4.88 million. Considering the episode aired on a public holiday, and was up against <i>Emmerdale </i>and a rerun of <i>The Lion King</i>, those aren't great figures.<br />
<br />
<b>Memorable Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
None.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-416198460564076972019-01-09T01:09:00.003+00:002021-01-03T15:24:54.711+00:00Doctor Who: Resolution<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRkA1r2WaFpNs9FU2D_MYhF8NjPm_j2BHQyofZ-QUqZlcrsdF95jRhUmauJoToL2JvFV59DDtqHFk5DGB459DGGTmUmG0YgeTvJLHfLtoP7ITscwWcwhg79CmDYzoamoOfuWERB_5IQ/s1600/p06wyt73.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="976" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRkA1r2WaFpNs9FU2D_MYhF8NjPm_j2BHQyofZ-QUqZlcrsdF95jRhUmauJoToL2JvFV59DDtqHFk5DGB459DGGTmUmG0YgeTvJLHfLtoP7ITscwWcwhg79CmDYzoamoOfuWERB_5IQ/s320/p06wyt73.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Doctor: 'They've got the best balloons.'<br />
<br />
After a season devoid of returning monsters, this was Chibnall's first delve into the show's back catalogue, and was a <i>mostly</i> valiant attempt. Two of the main complaints I had about last season were the boring villains and the character development being either too simplistic or non-existent. So bringing back the Daleks, and spending time focused on Ryan's relationship with his father, should've been an instant win, right?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Wrong! One can't help but feel that the show's mostly a box-ticking exercise these days. Reference some off-screen adventure that sounds infinitely more exciting that the shite we're about to see. Check. Get the Doctor to insist that some mundane object/fruit-based activity is the best thing ever. Check. Introduce a gay character, and then kill them off seconds later because you don't know what to do with them. Check. Have the Doctor bumble her way through the episode, solving stuff with a wave of her sonic screwdriver. Check. Litter the script with gags that might have been funny thirty years ago but now sound like something your dad might say. Check. Frequently reference modern buzzwords to show how in touch with the kids you are... and then never stop milking them! Check.<br />
<br />
In fact, this whole season feels like Chibnall went to doctor-who-plots-r-us.com, put checks next to his preferred beats, pressed the WRITE button at the bottom, and this is what came out. The only thing this method can't produce is heart, and despite the show's past failings, heart is something it's always had in spades and is the very thing this season's been lacking. Despite Chibnall going to great lengths to insist that we're watching a group of friends—a fam—it just <i>doesn't</i> come across on screen. They keep telling us it's true, but they seldom show us in a way that satisfies. As individuals they're just poorly drawn: there haven't been enough character establishing scenes; the dialogue is generic, interchangeable, and mostly plot serving; and any traits the characters <i>do</i> have seldom have any impact on the story.<br />
<br />
Ryan's showdown with his father<i> should</i> have worked a treat. Ryan's a character badly in need of development, Daniel Adegboyega is a fine actor, and I thought Tosin Cole did some decent work as his disgruntled son. But I didn't buy <i>any</i> of it. I didn't like the soap opera nature of the father/son interludes; they didn't convincingly intersect with the main plot, in fact if anything they slowed it down; I didn't like the pat way the story progressed from Ryan disliking his father, to understanding him, to forgiving him; I don't find the single-fathers-are-twats trope all that interesting; and I didn't like the way that once Aaron's part in the story was over, he couldn't even be bothered to go on <i>one</i> trip with his son. Another example of fathers being complicated, perhaps? Or of Chibnall boiling characters down to stereotypes and thinking he's giving them depth?<br />
<br />
Having the Daleks—or more specifically<i> a</i> Dalek—return however was cool. I was equally encouraged by the return of Nick Briggs, and was generally pleased with what they did with the Dalek storyline—even if it did take some mental gymnastics to explain how a bunch of primitives with spears managed to do what a modern force armed to the teeth with guns and tanks could not. But having the Dalek reassemble itself and attempt to call home was at least a coherent plan, which in a season full of wonky plotting and nonsensical character decisions, was a more than welcome development. I thought their makeshift look was pretty gnarly, too. Not a bad effort for an archaeologist with presumably no training in welding, metallurgy, or incorporating massive rockets into polycarbide/dalekanium shells.<br />
<br />
Some of the other stuff, whilst interesting, was less successful. The show's always taken liberties by adding mad shit to the Dalek's backstory, but introducing a special Dalek that can survive being cut into three, buried, and then somehow reassemble its squishy bits despite them being at opposite ends of the earth, was a bit much. I know it was Moffat who originally introduced the Dalek sewer concept, so to some extent there was a precedent for this sort of nonsense, but please don't make them more immortal than they already are—they survive every defeat as it is. Unless confronted by a deluxe combination microwave oven, that is; then they're screwed.<br />
<br />
I did like Lin and Midge. Chibbers did a decent job of setting up their relationship to make them believable enough to root for, and both Nikesh Patel and Charlotte Richie did a solid job of bringing them to life. Sadly, their inclusion meant that Yaz was given zero development <i>again</i>, and Graham's role was reduced in order for the Ryan/Aaron story to play out. And after a full season of being told that Aaron was a utter turd... turns out he wasn't too bad. Sure, his parenting skills left much to be desired, but he was the one who provided both the materials and nous to defeat the Dalek. How did an engineer cum salesman know that a microwave's primary and secondary coils would be enough to blow the Dalek's armour casing apart? Presumably the same way an archaeologist had the required skills to rebuild a Dalek.<br />
<br />
The Doctor again was the weak link. I'm having a real struggle squaring Whittaker's insecure Doctor with all that's gone before her. It's hard to understand how a being with so much expertise, knowledge, and experience, can be so unsure of virtually everything she does. I hate that she keeps looking to her 'friends' for validation. I hate that her companions are called friends now. I hate that her dialogue is so utterly childish. She's like a children's TV presenter from the 80s: all big smiles, shallow conversation, sing-song delivery, and daft clothes. Which seems like such an odd decision given the series' commitment to education and telling real world stories. Surely a more authoritative Doctor would have been a better choice, rather than someone pathologically obsessed with the greatness of balloons, automated delivery men, and fucking apple bobbing.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—I thought the TARDIS CGI looked a bit cheap this week.<br />
<br />
—Currently this episode holds a 100 percent fresh critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, yet a 16 percent fan rating. These are perplexing figures.<br />
<br />
—The music was awful throughout.<br />
<br />
—I wasn't happy with them binning UNIT at the expense of a joke, nor did I think much of the scene itself. There was an unrealistic air about the receptionist, and there's no way on earth she'd explain financial cuts over the phone to a stranger.<br />
<br />
—The Daleks taking down the internet scene was also an abomination. An old joke told in the least imaginative way possible.<br />
<br />
—Would the guard fingering his boyfriend joke have made it through if a heterosexual man/woman had said it? And this is seriously the best Chibnall could do to introduce a gay man... before killing him ten seconds later?<br />
<br />
—So a Dalek and a tank fire ordnance <i>directly</i> at each other, their missiles collide mid-air causing a deflection, yet the Dalek<i> still</i> scores a direct hit?<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Doctor: 'These are my best friends.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Earth is protected by me and my mates.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'I always think I'm rid of them. I never am.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: [Insert generic dialogue here]<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-54913202347151316572018-12-13T17:10:00.003+00:002021-01-03T15:24:54.716+00:00Doctor Who: The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGogudVt7fn1Cpa4nnYkR_0nltV595xGrO8cCtPKjSKE_6TH7PKL_nICqEkRhoTv9VYcCr3CVV-x7g_oM8L_FmlC6LXnlXZRrJBb66QB7IfnX0UOPn0bHqwkjN9KgSbCJhcAXrgW2ZgA/s1600/p06tlz22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="976" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGogudVt7fn1Cpa4nnYkR_0nltV595xGrO8cCtPKjSKE_6TH7PKL_nICqEkRhoTv9VYcCr3CVV-x7g_oM8L_FmlC6LXnlXZRrJBb66QB7IfnX0UOPn0bHqwkjN9KgSbCJhcAXrgW2ZgA/s320/p06tlz22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Doctor: 'Come on, fam.'<br />
<br />
As with last week's episode, this felt like a story plump with ideas, few of which managed to gain traction. The return of Tzim-Sha wasn't entirely unwelcome, but let's be honest: seeing him again was as surprising as seeing Graham and Ryan's fist-bump. Traditionally, the season finale is a time for spectacle, grandiose storytelling, and the return of epic foes. Instead, we got a bloke with a face made of teeth getting shot in the foot.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>To be fair, Tzim-Sha's story was okay. His megalomaniac streak made a modicum of sense bearing in mind the Stenza's warrior mindset, and his plan to shrink planets to the size of satsumas whilst manipulating the easily-fooled Ux, was a moderately entertaining—if<i> outrageously</i> over the top—punishment for the Doctor pissing him off. Whether you found his defeat too easy, or the setting up of his possible return too horrific to contemplate, will likely depend upon how satisfied you were with the return of the Stenza. Were they a finale-worthy foe? Do they deserve to be uttered in the same breathe as the Silence, the Daleks, the Cybermen and the Weeping Angels?<br />
<br />
Err... not really, no. They're an average villain, lacking the necessary pedigree to pull off a surprise return. I've also struggled to enjoy the simplistic, often info-dumpy way the stories have been presented this season: more specifically, the Chris Chibnall penned episodes. Which is a worry, as we usually rely on the showrunner to set the season tone, harmonise the third-party scripts, and be generally kick-ass. Frustratingly, the only ass that <i>should</i> be kicked this season, is Chibnall's. I don't think it controversial to say that his offerings this year have been subpar: his characterisation of the Doctor has been poor, his dialogue has been atrocious, his character development has been average, and his stories have been boring. And sadly, virtually<i> all</i> of these weaknesses were on display tonight.<br />
<br />
As the season's progressed, it's become exponentially harder to gauge the show's moral message. We've had instances where the Doctor's said one thing (killing stuff is bad!), and then gone on to do the exact opposite (I'm killing stuff!), and tonight probably explained why in the feeblest way imaginable: the Doctor sometimes changes her mind. Which was probably meant to come across as quirky and endearing, but instead offered up a troubling insight into how the show deals with internal inconsistency. The logic chain tonight ran something like this: the Doctor handed out grenades; Ryan asked what happened to her 'no weapons' policy; the Doctor explained that the bombs were for replaceable infrastructure only; Ryan pointed out that this didn't make sense as she'd recently forbade him to take out sniper bots; which culminated in the Doctor admitting that her rules are often subject to change, and ended in her asking him to never mention them again.<br />
<br />
So what's happening here? Well, to the cynical observer it looks suspiciously like a teaching point in 'The Ghost Monument' (guns are bad) hobbled the narrative needs of tonight's story, necessitating Chibnall pull some clumsy sleight of hand (which none of the characters cared to question), and thus everyone got to blow shit up. Which under normal circumstances, although a little underhanded, would be nothing to lose sleep over. Except, with the show's renewed commitment to teaching its audience, it really <i>does</i> matter. If you want to teach kids about ethics, your take-home message should <i>never</i> be to just thoughtlessly obey rules. It was Ryan <i>questioning</i> the rules that showed them to be defective, but because the purpose of the dialogue was to sidestep an earlier plot-point rather than explain why the Doctor was wrong, there was no follow-through.<br />
<br />
Chibnall's take on faith was similarly half-baked. I'm not religious, so I have no horse in this race <i>whatsoever</i>, but the Ux's definition of faith was just dumb. Andinio's the-more-we-learn-the-less-we-know aphorism, whilst clearly riffing off Socrates' most famous quote, seemed to miss the point entirely: emphasising gullibility at the expense of humility. Which was a real pity as I thought the Ux showed real potential, and an episode focused on dimensional engineering would've been fascinating. Instead, Chibnall chose to make the Ux look like incompetent idiots. I have no idea what his ultimate point was, but if it was that religious people are stupid, gullible, and shouldn't be let out of the house, then the message came through loud and clear.<br />
<br />
Ryan fist-bumping Graham, although presumably there as a resolution to their not-so-troubled relationship, felt <i>woefully </i>anticlimactic after last week's 'granddad' moment, and would've had far more impact had it happened then. Which pretty much sums up this season: an agglomeration of so-so stories, anaemic character beats, and emotional non-payoffs. Prior to this season airing I had severe reservations about Chibnall's <i>Who</i>, but<i> never </i>envisaged anything as bland as this. The finale pulled in 5.32 million viewers overnight—that's lower than Capaldi's last episode. The show <i>can</i> improve, but whether it will in 2020 and whether Chibnall's the man to do it, I have my doubts. For now, all we can do is wait and see which mysterious big-bad they bring back in the new year. If it's that fucking frog, I'm out of here.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—I'm sorry, but Graham killing Tzim-Sha would in <i>no</i> way make him like a planet-killing murderer.<br />
<br />
—I love precautions, I love Wellingtons, I love apple bobbing, I love the Kerblam man... I love talking utter shite.<br />
<br />
—For a show seemingly proud of its own 'wokeness', did they really have to have a black man enslaved throughout, whilst a white woman justified his incarceration by appealing to faith? I'm not saying that a slavery subtext was Chibnall's intention, but it's a lot easier to read into the story than whatever the sub-text actually was. Assuming there even<i> was</i> one.<br />
<br />
—I felt sure that once the Doctor and Yaz removed their neural enhancers, they'd end up fighting their own imagined demons to survive. Instead, they got small headaches.<br />
<br />
—Everyone who thought Graham would die in the last episode: your confidence in Chibnall's ability to deliver drama was woefully misplaced.<br />
<br />
—So the Timeless Child reference earlier in the season went absolutely nowhere?<br />
<br />
—Another pointless week of existing for Yaz.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Doctor: 'You look in a bad way. Whereas, I've got a new coat. What do you think?'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Universe, provide for me. I'm working really hard to keep you together right now.'<br />
<br />
Graham: 'Yippy kai yay, robots!'<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-499018440057059942018-12-04T23:08:00.000+00:002021-01-03T15:24:54.711+00:00Doctor Who: It Takes You Away<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhXQSpOQnHBbLYU4JqXXfSgB8s2bDE-1Gp3YV69WLyn7wMZpJgy7wzvAfl8EMVEDbrAuX65AjsZE-CH7zA_j0H9s13lBA0TpSqmQ7WMBhDYozgbspFln63iHqzPNUoXlfgN21K7kooQ/s1600/p06tg218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="976" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhXQSpOQnHBbLYU4JqXXfSgB8s2bDE-1Gp3YV69WLyn7wMZpJgy7wzvAfl8EMVEDbrAuX65AjsZE-CH7zA_j0H9s13lBA0TpSqmQ7WMBhDYozgbspFln63iHqzPNUoXlfgN21K7kooQ/s320/p06tg218.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Hanne: 'My Dad would never just leave me! Okay!'<br />
<br />
Errr... sure, Hanne. Anyway, following on from last week's slight upturn in quality, tonight's episode provided a complex tale set against the backdrop of rural Norway. The setup was provocative, the unfolding narrative alluring, and again, the Doctor felt both familiar and authoritative. Shame they had to ruin it by having the Solitract manifest as a fucking frog.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>This was an episode chock-full of ideas, some of them really quite attractive, but the way they tried to integrate them, and the way some of them went absolutely nowhere was disappointing. The monster-in-the-woods setup, for example, was wonderfully done: atmospherically it hit the mark, the monster's roar sounded impressive, and the setting was visually appealing... only for it <i>all </i>to be an elaborate hoax? And when I say elaborate, I <i>mean</i> elaborate: Erick boarded up his house to fool a daughter who couldn't even see!<br />
<br />
The Ribbons section was also something of a letdown and felt suspiciously like padding. No real explanation was given to why Ribbons was seemingly the only biped in the six-legged rat-infested anti-zone, and the attack mechanics of the flesh moths verged on the impenetrable. They were more lethal in the dark, so presumably the lanterns were meant to scare them off... except they seemed attracted to light like regular earth moths. (Which Ribbons seemed oddly knowledgeable about.) They was also some suggestion that they were attracted to movement and sound... but none of this really mattered, as Ribbons got overexcited by the Doctor's dropped tubular and ended up in ribbons himself.<br />
<br />
The Dead Wives Club also didn't work for me. If they'd made Grace and Trine more believable from the get-go, instead of having them sceptical of their own existence, then I dare say I'd have found Graham and Erick's dilemma more convincing. To then compound it by having the boys question the legitimacy of their already doubting wives, sadly killed any attempted poignancy, resulting in a scene which<i> tried </i>to engage our emotions but had nothing to root the pathos in. Which was a crying shame, because with a few tweaks the emotional impact <i>could</i> have been colossal.<br />
<br />
That said, I did appreciate the catharsis that meeting faux-Grace afforded Graham. Despite not believing her to be his wife—as Erick probably didn't believe faux-Trine to be his—I did for a moment think that Graham would choose to stay. Which would've made for a great ending, with the Doctor having to drag him kicking and screaming back to the real world. But the Solitract evidently wasn't powerful enough to create simulacra capable of being convincing, and the Doctor certainly isn't up to dragging anyone <i>anywhere</i> this season, so they instead went with blasting people through portals.<br />
<br />
Not that Erick cared: even after seeing Trine shoot Yaz with some sort of energy blast, he still insisted that it was safe for Hanne to stay—despite reality collapsing around them. That the Doctor would ultimately leave Hanne with Erick made no sense to me. Yaz was right: worst parenting ever! I get that he was grieving, but creating a fake threat so terrifying that it had Hanne hiding in cupboards and gibbering about being taken away, and then abandoning her with no food whilst off gallivanting with his ghost-wife, must surely rank as textbook neglect. Why the Doctor didn't just pick up the phone hanging on the TARDIS door and call the NSPCC, I have no idea.<br />
<br />
The Doctor's final speech to the Solitract actually sounded pretty good... until you realised how vapid it was. Swapping Erick for the Doctor was supposed to provide the Solitract with a veritable all-you-can-eat-buffet of experiences; instead all Kermit got was ten seconds of a Douglas Adams-esqe 'the [universe] is big, really big, you just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mindbogglingly big it is' style speech. Which again felt like a wasted opportunity as, apart from the weird parting kiss at the end which looked like something from an am-dram production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' I sensed that Jodie was gagging to belt out a chunk of gutsy dialogue. I mean, she<i> tried </i>to get into it, but what can you do when you're talking to a badly CGIed frog?<br />
<br />
Speaking of which—and I really wish I were speaking of witches, because those ladies from last week were cool—let's talk about that frog. Look, in lieu of being told, nobody truly knows a writer's real motivation for doing<i> anything</i>, but this scene was particularly inscrutable. There was obvious potential for the Solitract to manifest as anyone here—Clara, Rose, Amy, Donna... or the true-fan's only choice, Mickey—but Chibnall's seeming aversion to delving into the show's past meant that, instead of trotting out someone meaningful to the Doctor, we instead got a bleedin' frog. A secondary character would have done. Or a historical figure. Maybe someone from the Doctor's family. Anybody would've been better than a frog. Even the Doctor seemed in disbelief.<br />
<br />
Which leaves Graham and Ryan's unearned bonding moment. After nine episodes of majestic build-up, Ryan finally called Graham granddad, Why? No clue. What could Ryan possibly have learned from Yaz telling him about Graham's run-in with faux-Grace that he didn't know already? We already know that Graham misses Grace. Shouldn't they at least have had Ryan in the upside down too, to witness everything firsthand, and share Graham's sense of loss... instead of sidelining him in Mothsville? Again, this just felt like as scene which could've been brilliant, but was handled with so little thought, that it barely made sense.<br />
<br />
I'm sure next week's episode will redeem the whole season...<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—So the Doctor can tell where she is by eating soil now?<br />
<br />
—Reverse the polarity? Where the hell did Yaz pull that from?<br />
<br />
—Doctor: 'Let's not make any assumptions'... but let's assume that her dad is dead?<br />
<br />
—I had to laugh at Hanne and Ryan hiding from the flesh moths... next to a big red glowing lantern that we <i>know</i> they can see.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Graham: 'Who you calling a codger, it's you who stinks of your own wee.'<br />
Ribbons: 'That's not my wee.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'No need to panic.'<br />
Yaz: 'I wasn't panicking.'<br />
Doctor: 'I know, I was talking to myself.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Erick. This woman is clearly an alien force, collapsing two realities, and impersonating your dead wife. Time to move on, mate.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'She's not your wife: she's furniture with a pulse.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'The Solitract is a frog?'Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-83755110838209304352018-11-28T17:25:00.001+00:002021-01-03T15:24:54.719+00:00Doctor Who: The Witchfinders<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Doctor: 'Even me! Very handy under cover... set a woman to catch a woman.'<br />
<br />
This was an episode which made me feel wistful for what could've been. If they'd aired 'The Witchfinders' after 'The Woman Who Fell to Earth,' instead of eight episodes into a lacklustre season, then I daresay I'd have felt mildly optimistic. The Doctor felt stronger, the setting was genuinely eerie, they drip-fed us a tasty dribble of Yaz's backstory, and the monster of the week was both freaky<i> and </i>fun. So why does it feel like a case of too little, too late?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>I currently judge <i>Doctor Who</i> on a different scale than previous seasons—so a three from the Moffat era probably ranks around a seven on the Chibbometer. It's sad, but that's how it is. And although there was a lot to like about tonight's offering, there's still no excusing its appearance so late in the season. Why relegate what could've been the perfect establishing story so far down the episode chain? It's not as if we needed seven episodes of Chibnall's character-establishing blandness to understand what was going on. The Doctor took control, spoke forcibly without self-awareness or apology, seemed better equipped to solve problems, and more importantly took care of business. Yes, there was the occasional 'I love apple bobbing!' bollocks, but there was some good stuff too.<br />
<br />
Despite being in an environment of limited opportunity for women, the Doctor still managed to behave in a historically appropriate fashion, handle a misogynistic king, science the shit out of some not-mud, and actually punish the villains. You heard me: we both <i>had</i> villains <i>and</i> saw them punished—all in the <i>same</i> episode! It's crazy, I know. I'd loved to have seen the Doctor make some final decisive point about 'wee lassies' being more than just gossips instead of just walking off in a sulk, but their earlier exchange over James' familial woes and the pursuit of truth, was excellent. This is where Jodie's Doctor looked at her most convincing, and I'd like to see more of it.<br />
<br />
As most of this season's scripts were written with a male Doctor in mind, this was our first real taste of the Doctor battling opposition due to gender, and I think they did a decent job of showing her functioning within those constraints. We've seen companions struggle due to outdated historical mores before, but this was the first time we've really seen the show's head honcho fall victim. The Doctor's 'If I was still a bloke I could get on with the job and not have to waste time defending myself' was obviously a<i> knowingly</i> meta line, what with her saying it in front of an audience and nobody raising an eyebrow, but it made me chuckle and I <i>think</i> the fourth wall mostly remained intact.<br />
<br />
I still find her incessant questioning a cheap substitute for inductive/deductive solutions, but at least it produced results tonight: albeit of the rather obvious kind. Six times the Doctor asked Becka what she was hiding, only for Becka to eventually admit to being a witch. And after the Morax telling the Doctor that they'd been trapped in the hill for war crimes, she then went on to deduce that the Morax had been trapped in the hill for war crimes: which was essentially repeating what she'd <i>just </i>been told. Sadly, this is what passes for dialogue these days. I get that asking questions is considered a valid method of learning, but this feels roughly akin to a three year old bombarding you with 'Why is the sky blue?' calibre queries. It's as if the writers are terrified we've missed something and feel the need to repeat everything ad nauseum.<br />
<br />
I suspect the mileage you got out of tonight's episode will also depend upon how you saw Alan Cumming's King James. If you saw his portrayal as over the top, his supposedly incognito appearance in the story as wholly unrealistic, and his accent inexplicably English (James spoke with a Scottish accent), then your credulity <i>will</i> have been tested. In all honesty there were a number of glossed-over contrivances, and Cumming's James was hilariously out of kilter with the rest of the episode's tone, but I rather liked it. It gave a bleak tale some wit and warmth, as well as giving us a ridiculous accent that exists nowhere in the known universe to laugh at.<br />
<br />
I've always believed that when an episode does some stuff right, we should be more forgiving of its failures, and although tonight's offering wasn't perfect, it <i>did</i> have some redeeming features. The Doctor felt more recognisable to me, the story had legs, the villain was effective, and this was undeniably the most<i> Doctor Who</i>-ish the show's felt all season. But there's still a<i> long</i> way to go, and with just two episodes left, and next season currently in production, I'm starting to worry about whether the show will <i>ever</i> right itself. Ratings are also on the decline. Is the Chibnall gamble starting to fail?<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—Another dig at the Doctor's clothes. It's like everyone knows they're shit apart from her.<br />
<br />
—Graham's witchfinder hat was on point. And by 'on point', I mean ridiculous.<br />
<br />
—When the Doctor tried to rescue Old Mother Twiston, I was initially annoyed that she'd managed to free her from chains without explanation. Then the Houdini reference arrived. I <i>love</i> this sort of detail.<br />
<br />
—Yaz's bullying speech was both competently delivered and nicely explained her later career in law enforcement.<br />
<br />
—I'm not sure I entirely bought Willa's ten minute I want to fight/you're weird/I want to be like you redemption arc, but I thought Tilly Steele did a magnificent job as a shat upon peasant.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
King James: 'And what is your field of expertise, my Nubian prince?'<br />
<br />
King James: 'This is Alfonso, my personal guardian. He guards my witchfinding tools with his life.'<br />
<br />
Yaz: 'Is that why it went after Willa?<br />
Doctor: 'Of course. Not to kill her, but to fill her. Oooh, check out my rhymes. Poetry under pressure.'<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-3906597238111660742018-11-21T15:42:00.001+00:002021-01-03T15:24:54.712+00:00Doctor Who: Kerblam!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IbM8My6UgjqLKNvods551knYXLJYeMrp4KigvPGpr-LKV_wdMt3ovHwBhHi4v3ZkbePlhdO4plVZrloaYPUHhm0hWYW8Oyxz_uEmQEpbKs7f4LbP04YXLzl184XieimVXmr5_Djdlw/s1600/p06s4hgl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="976" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IbM8My6UgjqLKNvods551knYXLJYeMrp4KigvPGpr-LKV_wdMt3ovHwBhHi4v3ZkbePlhdO4plVZrloaYPUHhm0hWYW8Oyxz_uEmQEpbKs7f4LbP04YXLzl184XieimVXmr5_Djdlw/s320/p06s4hgl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The Doctor: 'I'm The Doctor. I'm new. And you are?'<br />
<br />
This episode was thoroughly absorbing, not necessarily because it was good, but because it had a lot going on, was deceptively layered, and had such an elusive central message. This season's been blighted by a general lack of complexity; well, tonight that all changed, and I'm not altogether sure it was deliberate. Let's dig in and become unconfused together. Maybe.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Immediately after airing, the internet was awash with conflicting opinions as to the story's defining themes. Some were saying it was pro-capitalist because of how it portrayed Kerblam; others were saying it was anti-capitalist because of Charlie's criticism of big business; some insisted that it wasn't about capitalism at all, but was about the potential threat of AI; and others opined that it wasn't even about AI, it was about the need for a balance between humans and technology. In other words, hardly anyone knew what the episode was trying to say, and instead chose to read their personal politics into the grey areas. Spoiler alert: I'm now going to do the same.<br />
<br />
At the heart of the story was a fairly straightforward idea. Kerblam was created whilst mankind was distracted by technology: it was efficient to a fault, mostly self-regulating, and was portrayed as a positive force due to it providing jobs and a pleasant working environment during a period of high unemployment. In short: Kerblam was good, Kerblam was caring, Kerblam was ubiquitous. Kerblam was also man-made, so its shortcomings rather than being Kerblam's fault, were a reflection of their user's weaknesses, lack of foresight, and poor values. Oh... and the Doctor loves the Kerblam man. I mean, she<i> really</i> loves him and says it a lot just so we know it's true.<br />
<br />
Enter Charlie: he hates Kerblam. He hates that automation has largely supplanted humanity in the workforce, he fears Kandoka's ten percent rule is the beginning of mankind's trip down the slippery slope to obscurity, and by virtue of his age, he's both politically pro-active and willing to go to extreme lengths to bring about change. In other words: he's in his twenties. He thus hatches a plot to sabotage Kerblam via terroristic means, manages to somehow weaponize bubble wrap, falls in love with the lovely Kira, accidentally gets her killed, and then runs the wrong way towards a soon-to-explode army and ultimately gets blown to pieces. The end!<br />
<br />
Now, at its most simplistic, this more or less works. This is the essence of the story, and the Doctor's 'the systems aren't the problem, it's how people use and exploit the systems' speech makes sense when confined to<i> this</i> restricted context. The confusion arises not because the message is hard to fathom, but because it's balanced precariously atop a mass of politically charged plot dressing. To model Kerblam so obviously on Amazon, to make so many positive overtures towards capitalism, to ponder the encroachment of technology on modern society, and to then offer so little in terms of satire or meaningful social commentary, feels like a missed opportunity—especially at a time when<i> our</i> society is actively struggling with these very topics.<br />
<br />
Charlie being a terrorist was also a hard sell, not because it was badly set up—it was actually quite deftly done—but because we're naturally resistant to people demonising the things we love and lauding the things we abhor. So a story which tries to portray cute lefty Charlie as the villain, whilst elevating Space Amazon to the level of saviour, although a delightful reversal of expectation, was always going to leave a bad taste. Despite working as a twist, it just <i>instinctively</i> felt wrong. And to add insult to injury, the fact that <i>both</i> of these things contributed directly to the death of Kira—an event barely commented on by the narrative—makes it feel <i>doubly</i> problematic. This is how it ends? With innocents dead and a platform ecosystem saving humanity?<br />
<br />
But I repeat, these things <i>aren't</i> the episode's focus, they're what's left after the dust's settled and we've had a chance to survey the wreckage. McTighe wasn't trying to push the idea that Space Amazon will one day save the world, he was simply trying to provide a happier ending. Bad shit went down, and humanity got a better deal in the workplace. Isn't that wonderful? Unfortunately, it came at the cost of terrorism winning. Charlie's plan didn't quite play out as planned, but it achieved its intended result. Even Kerblam's switch to one hundred percent organics came at a price, with the workforce getting a measly two weeks pay for a four week lay-off. Which feels like further confirmation of the Doctor's words: it's not the system that's the problem, it's the fuckers controlling it. I paraphrase, obviously.<br />
<br />
Outside the main narrative, there was a lot to like. I particularly enjoyed the intricacies of McTighe's plotting. Setting up Charlie as the villain by first establishing the invisibility of the maintenance crew, and then slyly introducing Maddox's soft spot for the downtrodden, was the sort of thoughtful setup that's been lacking all season. Likewise his use of Yaz's policing skills, and the return of Ryan's dyspraxia, offered up some simple character continuity for two of the show's most neglected characters. Sure Ryan mentioning how uncoordinated he was felt a little superfluous—it's not as if falling down a chute, or jumping off a conveyor belt with his hand over his eyes required much coordination—but I did appreciate the reminder.<br />
<br />
One thing I wish they had shown rather than told was Yaz returning Dan's necklace to his daughter. It would have provided a far more effective coda than that final scene of Graham looking suspiciously at a box of bubble wrap. How that ending made the cut I'll never know. I also had issues with the Doctor admitting to having robot friends, chastising Graham and Ryan for being robophobic, and then going on to kill thousands of Kerblam men. You know, those dudes she really loves? It's this sort of obvious inconsistency that really irks, mainly because it's so easy to identify and rectify. Sadly, they never seem to bother.<br />
<br />
And tonight saw yet another eroding of the Doctor's authority. Having a thousand thoughts constantly flowing through her brain is I think<i> meant </i>to be a character quirk, but all it does is stop her from doing her job. She's so confused by the endless stream of possibilities, that she becomes paralysed by doubt. I also didn't appreciate them rolling back the one time she <i>did </i>take charge. After telling Maddox that she'd be answerable to her if anything went awry, why did she then ask Yaz whether she'd been too bombastic? Who gives a shit what Yaz and Ryan think? You're the Doctor, for fuck's sake, and it's time to start owning it. It's as if they're terrified of letting her take charge, and for some reason want to filter every thought/decision/sentence through her companions. Why? Why doesn't she trust her own decisions any more, and why have her thinking processes become so unreliable?<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—I know I say it every week, but I'm getting sick of the sonic screwdriver overuse, and I'm starting to detest the weird superhero pose the Doctor adopts whilst scanning. You're not in the X-Men, Doc!<br />
<br />
—'That's not a power drain, that's a total system blackout. Power's drained right down to the foundation levels.' So it's not a power drain, it's a power drain?<br />
<br />
—Humans don't give a shit about bubble wrap these days, so why would robots find popping it so irresistible? This feels like a plot beat that's thirty years out of date.<br />
<br />
—Very cartoonish performances from both Lee Mack and Julie Hesmondhaigh.<br />
<br />
—Using the eleventh Doctor's fez order to set up the story, felt ridiculously unnecessary, and raised all manner of security concerns.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Graham: 'Space Postman. I've seen it all now.'<br />
<br />
Ryan: 'We did it! We're not dead! We're totally not dead!'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'That's the problem with conspiracies. There's so much to think about.'<br />
<br />
Kira: 'I'm just such a butterfingers.'<br />
Charlie: 'I love butter.'Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-73581692779079049442018-11-15T18:28:00.000+00:002021-01-03T15:24:54.718+00:00Doctor Who: Demons of the Punjab<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Doctor: 'Shouldn't have come. I'm too nice. This is what happens when you try to be nice.'<br />
<br />
This week was an odd one for me. I watched the episode twice: the first time I came away disappointed, the second time I quite enjoyed it. Sure, it was riddled with the same issues that have thus far plagued Chibnall's tenure, but as with 'Rosa' the emotional content satisfied, the location was evocative, and an important moment in history was dealt with respectfully. We even got an unexpected villain. Us. Yeah... humans suck.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The Thijarians looked horrific, had a cool looking spaceship and, for the first time this series, felt like a formidable foe. They also weren't covered in teeth, made out of floating rags, or racist shits—so that was nice. I'm torn on the twist, however. The move from assassination to honouring the dead felt like a radical career change, especially with them looking so unapologetically warlike—although I'm sure there was meant to be some subtle message in there about not judging a book by its cover. I had to laugh at their 'Please leave or we will stand over your corpses' line. Has anything <i>ever</i> had more of a double meaning? Kudos to Vinay Patel for keeping the early action, mood and dialogue ambiguous.<br />
<br />
That said, his attempts to misdirect <i>did </i>occasionally devolve into silliness. Not only were the Thijarians still dressed in what looked like battle armour, they spoke in weird double-tracked voices, and were as sinister as hell. Any image guru will tell you that when making the switch from murderer to comforter, voice training and the removal of all potentially lethal clothing is an absolute must. Also, lose the disembodied head collection... you freaks!!! Regardless, their motive for change was plausible, and there was a marvellous symmetry to the bad guys becoming good and vice versa—I just think I'd rather they'd stayed villainous. In a season distinguished by its lack of credible threat, the Thijarians could've been the first stand-out bad guys.<br />
<br />
For an episode centred around Yaz, I'm not sure we learned much about her, but there was some decent family backstory in there. Why Nani Umbreen didn't recognise her own mother's designs on Yaz's palm, nor recognise her face <i>at all,</i> was something they didn't really address, but it was nice to see Yaz interacting with her family again. Her refusal to leave until the mystery was solved, despite the Doctor's insistence that staying could wipe her from existence, I found a little irritating—especially as their presence seemed to have no impact whatsoever—but seeing Umbreen's story played against the backdrop of Partition was undeniably moving. Watching the Doctor wince as the gunshot rang out, as they walked away from yet another tragedy, was a great scene for Jodie. Maybe I could've done without another Doctor and Co do sod all ending, but it was a powerful moment which gave the perfect context to Nani Umbreen's earlier reticence.<br />
<br />
On the acting front, I thought Shane Zaza was excellent. Despite brother Manish being less sympathetically drawn, I though Prem was a marvellous character: courageous, kind, and ultimately tragic. His relationship with Umbreen felt real, which is ultimately what gave his death impact. Creating characters we care about in a measly 50 minutes is a feat in itself, but to then off them and elicit tears is a skill, and I think Vinay did a sterling job. Props also to Amita Suman. I saw her getting a bit of a bashing on Twitter, but I thought she turned in a warm, likeable performance.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Bradley Walsh also impressed. He was given some of the heaviest scenes in the episode, and nailed them all. He's got that misty-eyed, wobbly-lipped vulnerability down to a fine art, and after some early season stumbles, he looked at home tonight. I even enjoyed Jodie this week. They're developing her character at a scandalously slow pace, but Chibnall's vision of the Doctor seems to be more a traveller who observes than a powerful being who intervenes, so it's all taking some getting used to. Whether this is for the good of the show or not, time will tell. After a ratings spike over the first few weeks, the viewing figures are now more or less what they were back in season eight. My fear is that for every new person the changes bring in, they're losing an equal amount of old fans. If true, you have to wonder who they're making the show for.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—Each week the template seem to be the same: reference an adventure that happened off screen; reference at least one historical figure the Doctor knows; use the sonic screwdriver as much as possible. It even undid a knotted rope this week. They'll be cooking porridge with it next.<br />
<br />
—On the one hand Nani Umbreen wanted to give Yaz stuff before it was too late, on the other she didn't want to talk about her past until Yaz was older. Make your mind up!<br />
<br />
—It's amazing how Nani Umbreen's Pakistani accent was thicker after half a decade in Sheffield than it was back in Lahore.<br />
<br />
—When are we going to get an episode about the Death Eye Turtle Army?<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Graham: 'Do you need a singer? I know all the classics... or latest hits to you lot.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'I'm talking to cover up my latent worry.'<br />
<br />
Graham: 'And I honestly don't know if any of us know the real truth of our own lives, cos we're too busy living them from the inside.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'No Yaz! We can't have a universe with no Yaz.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Never did this when I was a man.'<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-58170154299852401112018-11-06T18:36:00.000+00:002021-01-03T15:24:54.716+00:00Doctor Who: The Tsuranga Conundrum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Back in 2010, being a <i>Doctor Who</i> fan was like being in a beautiful relationship. It was exciting, invigorating, and despite sometimes having no idea what was going on, you were never less than engaged. Even as the years rolled by and the rough patches came and went, you still knew<i> why</i> you were together. The good times still materialised with unerring frequency, and when they did you felt that familiar flutter in your stomach which could only mean one thing: you were still madly in love.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Then season ten came along and Moffat seemed far less interested in making it work, so we agreed to start seeing other people. Sure we didn't want to, but what else can you do when your significant other throws up the deuces and peaces out on you? So we swapped Moffat for Chibnall, and after five nightmarish dates, let me unequivocally state that I should <i>never </i>have agreed to the break-up. This is my fault, I was a fucking idiot, and I <i>swear</i> I can change. Just give me a second chance. Please!<br />
<br />
Halfway through the season and the potential of episode one, and the slight lift in quality of episode three, have now well and truly been flushed down the toilet of banal stories, and it's time to admit that the show is currently... well, a bit shit. Tonight we were 'treated' to the most preposterous looking villain since the Adipose (sans discernible satirical context), some aimless running around, an emotional payoff less convincing than Bradley Walsh's background acting, the reemergence of the dreaded countdown, and another dreary non-ending where the villain managed to get away without consequence. In short: it was a typical Chibnall script.<br />
<br />
One thing <i>Doctor Who</i> should <i>never</i> be is boring, and tonight, regrettably, it was. People on Twitter were making cups of tea half way through, I inexplicably found myself outside looking for my cat, fully aware that she was fast asleep in the bedroom. This was <i>not </i>an episode which held your attention. I seem to be saying it a lot these days, but there were too many contrivances, too much exposition, too many questions, and too little thought-provoking sci-fi. Which is sad because the show has never looked better. Well, apart from the ship interior, which looked like it'd been constructed by primary school pupils with just cardboard and felt-tip pens at their disposal. And the Pting which looked far too cute to be one of the most dangerous creatures in the galaxy, bore a suspicious resemblance to half a dozen already existing fictional creations, and were probably better suited to a CBBC show. Apart from those things, it looked fabulous.<br />
<br />
But just too much dumb shit happened. The only reason the gang ended up aboard the Tsuranga is because they were out looking for something Chibnall couldn't even be arsed to give a name. Then the Doctor and Co. coincidentally bumped into all of the episode's main players whilst looking for the ship's exit, Astos did the very thing the Doctor told him not to do and died, a thousand questions were asked, and Dirk somehow managed to fly the ship home because he was a Cicero? Why he didn't pilot it in the first place, rather than throw his ailing sister under the bus, is anyone's guess. Presumably so we could have an emotional ending. Except we didn't. Sadly, it fell as flat as one of Chibnall's jokes on account of it being so utterly predictable.<br />
<br />
The incessant questioning thing I'm finding particularly irritating. Why doesn't the Doctor know anything any more? A couple of episodes ago she knew <i>nothing</i> of currency, and now we're supposed to buy that she required an infodump on the Pting? It used to be that the Doctor was the smartest person in the room, due to age, experience, and sheer genius. Now she's less intelligent than half of her previous companions, seems to have a mere surface knowledge of things outside the human experience, and relies<i> far </i>too heavily on those around her. Perhaps it was a creative decision to tone down her brilliance and make her more accessible, but it comes at the risk of stripping her of everything that made her unique. God, how I miss the Doctor randomly pulling solutions out of his ass.<br />
<br />
Jodie did her best with some shockingly bland dialogue, but Chibnall really hasn't given her character any memorable traits. She's also <i>too</i> passive. How is feeding and then airlocking the indestructible Pting punishment for killing two people? (One albeit indirectly.) What's stopping it from doing the exact same thing when it's hungry again? And remember how different Tennant's Doctor seemed to Eccleston's, or Smith's to Tennant's, or Capaldi's to Smith's? Jodie's Doctor seems to have kept some residual traits of both Ten and Eleven—which most often manifest when she's at her most rambling—but Chibnall really hasn't added much else. Plus, he doesn't do humour as well as his predecessors. Nine seems like a comedy genius in comparison to Thirteen. If in doubt, look how quotable the Doctor's dialogue was prior to this season.<br />
<br />
Worse still, when Chibnall <i>does</i> try to break out the funnies, he does it through tonally incongruent comedy characters. In episode one we were forced to endure the 'hilariously' special Karl, last week it was Donald Trump-lite, and this week it was the bumbling Yoss. It's like Chibnall deliberately makes these characters larger than life just so we <i>know</i> they're the comic relief. But do we really need these visual and aural clues? Are we really so confused? And considering male pregnancy was supposed to be particularly intense, Yoss seemed to sail through it. Most of his anguish came from external issues rather than internal discomfort. Ask any woman that's had an intense pregnancy what it's like, and I highly doubt she'll respond with: 'Have you ever seen "The Tsuranga Conundrum?"'<br />
<br />
It's Vinay Patel's turn next week, and in the same way that Malorie Blackman's influence seemed to give 'Rosa' a modicum of depth, here's hoping Vinay manages to do the same. Assuming the new writers room format allows for adequate deviation from Chibnall's house style. Honestly, I'm not hopeful.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—I struggled to imagine what Yoss found so disturbing about one sex giving birth to another. How would it differ from what he was used to?<br />
<br />
—The Doctor and Co's reaction to the Pting seemed wildly over the top considering how ridiculous it looked. Obviously they hadn't seen the finished CGI. Even Mandip Gill said they were cute on Twitter. Cute?!<br />
<br />
—Doctor of Hope? Oh, for fuck's sakes....<br />
<br />
—I was a bit confused by Ryan this week. He started out by seemingly sympathising with his absent father, only to see Yoss go through childbirth and change his mind about giving away his baby. Are we to assume that this event had no effect on Ryan whatsoever?<br />
<br />
—I wish Ryan would just fist-bump his granddad.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Doctor: 'I'm the Doctor.'<br />
Astos: 'Are you kidding?'<br />
Doctor: 'Sometimes. But not right now.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'And you. Off this ship, back into space, right now, else you'll have me to deal with.'<br />
Graham: 'It just sort of ignored you there, Doc.'<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-76421199168889712242018-10-30T14:06:00.001+00:002021-01-03T15:24:54.719+00:00Doctor Who: Arachnids in the UK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Doctor: 'I call people dude now.'<br />
<br />
Four episodes in, I think it safe to say that the show's found its style and rhythm. Despite a few glitches, the Doctor's personality is pretty much established; Yaz, Ryan and Graham have been given rudimentary backstories; and we now know what sort of stories Chibnall wants to tell. The question is: are they stories we want to see and hear?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>As far as plots go, this was as basic as it gets. The core concept was a partial retread of 'The Green Death' (without all that pesky complexity and engaging character nonsense), there was some running around, some creepy spiders, some light character development for the supporting cast, and one of the most straightforward endings known to man. (Robertson just shot the spider and fucked off home.) Add an all too on-the-nose Trump-hating Trump clone, a spider expert stood conveniently outside the door, and that was pretty much the nuts and bolts.<br />
<br />
I freely admit, I didn't understand the Trump stuff at all. Robertson was a character who allegedly hated Trump, yet was like him in <i>every </i>way. What was Chibnall trying to tell us here? If it's that guns are bad, then we <i>know</i> dude—so why let them win the day? If it was that being like Trump is bad, then we're right with you—but why is Trump currently president, and why did the fictional Robertson get to claim he's 'what the world needs' without rebuttal? I get that parody can be a useful tool in teaching, but what did such a broad-stroke caricature actually convey in terms of message, and was that message coherent?<br />
<br />
Robertson was just <i>too</i> big for the episode. The rest of the cast played it comparatively low-key in an attempt to get across the gravity of the situation, only for Robertson to undermine their efforts in establishing tone with his Trump quoting, cliche-ridden bollocks. What were his scheduled bathroom breaks, incessant attempts at belittling the show's female characters, and obsession with guns all about? And to end Robertson's story with him walking away unpunished after a failed scolding by the Doctor, really <i>did</i> seem like the final indignity. Is she going to let everyone get away scot-free this season?<br />
<br />
The sad thing is, I agree with the sentiment: guns, knives, racism and Trump's values <i>are</i> bad... but you need to do more than just<i> say</i> it. You need to explain why, otherwise people who think differently won't understand. In fact, I'm pretty sure that viewers of a certain political persuasion will have watched tonight's episode and thought that Robertson won. He undermined the Doctor's authority throughout, saved the day, and then walked away more sure of his twisted values than ever before. Some people on Twitter have suggested that Robertson will be back later in the season. I fucking hope not! Once was more than enough.<br />
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Graham interacting with Grace's 'ghost' was more successful. After offing her back in episode one, I was ready to see some fallout from her death, and seeing Graham deal with the physical and emotional emptiness of a flat without Grace was a moving moment. Him wanting to travel with the Doctor made absolute sense in light of his loss. Yaz's reasons made <i>less</i> sense to me. Yes, her family were a <i>bit </i>irritating, but not so dysfunctional that she just <i>had</i> to get away. Even her rubbish-hoarding father seemed less bonkers after having his conspiracy theory authenticated. In fact, for an episode heavily focused on Yaz, I don't feel like we learned much about her at all.<br />
<br />
The CGI spiders were cool, the atmosphere was excellent, and I liked the final scenes aboard the TARDIS. At last, it feels like we have a crew again. Apart from that, this felt like another shallow episode. 'Rosa' made up for its wafer-thin plot with a healthy dollop of history, but mutant spiders just don't carry the same emotional weight. And the Doctor<i> really</i> needs to start taking control. Tonight she promised that Robertson wouldn't kill <i>any </i>spiders, yet he did. This does <i>not </i>feel like a Doctor in charge. Whether that's intentional or incidental, we'll have to wait and see, but I really hope she starts holding people's feet to the fire soon.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—A rubbish collection every Friday?! Where is this fictional utopia of which Grace O'Brien speaks?<br />
<br />
—I'm not entirely sure what sort of humane death Jade was referring to. Suffocation? Starvation? Or did she have some other 'humane' death in mind?<br />
<br />
—It's the little things that really undo a scene... like Ryan leaning against the wrong side of a door which opened inward to hold it closed.<br />
<br />
—So, the other spiders around town: what happened to them?<br />
<br />
—I can't see many people under 30 getting the Sex Pistols title reference.<br />
<br />
—I know you can't account for these things, but Robertson's 'Why don't you do what normal people do?' line was a bit too close for comfort after the Pittsburgh shooting.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Jade: 'This doesn't make any sense. This isn't what spiders do.'<br />
<br />
Robertson: 'Who are you people?'<br />
Graham: 'A word of advice, mate. Run now, ask questions later.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Are you Ed Sheeran? Is he Ed Sheeran? Everyone talks about Ed Sheeran about now, don't they?'<br />
<br />
Ryan: 'She's in charge, bro.'<br />
Robertson: 'Says who?'<br />
All: 'Says us!'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'I eat danger for breakfast. I don't, I prefer cereal. Or croissants. Or those little fried Portuguese... never mind, it's not important.'<br />
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<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-79276635412345368612018-10-24T00:02:00.002+01:002021-01-03T15:24:54.719+00:00Doctor Who: Rosa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Doctor: 'I did not warm to him.'<br />
<br />
It was with some trepidation that I approached tonight's episode. With a few notable exceptions, historical episodes rarely portray their famous subjects favourably, and with Rosa Parks the focus, the likelihood of getting it wrong seemed all too probable. Putting the Doctor at the centre of a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement <i>could've</i> been disastrous. But was it?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Surprisingly, no. The stage was set for all manner of traditional <i>Who</i> shenanigans, yet the Doctor didn't influence Rosa's most profound thoughts, Rosa didn't knowingly meet an alien, or go for a trip in the TARDIS, or marry the Doctor. In truth, the writers showed considerable restraint, and the episode was all the better for it. Sure, it suffered from the usual Chibnallisms (more on those later), but at least they got the heart of the story right. They didn't sully it with weak jokes. They didn't take away Rosa's agency. They even managed to keep the alien element on the periphery as the all too human drama played out.<br />
<br />
Which may sound like faint praise—congratulating them for taking real people seriously, and not fucking everything up with jokes—but it was important they got <i>that </i>part right. They also got the casting right: Vinette Robinson was an absolute triumph. Despite knowing her from <i>The A Word</i>, <i>Sherlock</i>, <i>Black Mirror</i>, and even <i>Doctor Who</i> (she played Abi Learner in the rather underwhelming '42'), I didn't recognise her at all. Which is testament to how convincing she was as Rosa. The way she looked, the way she spoke, the way she<i> utterly</i> inhabited the role, really was the highlight of the episode for me.<br />
<br />
The ending was also a blinder. The effective use of silence as Rosa said no, followed by Andra Day's 'Rise Up' as she was taken away while the Doctor and Co. looked on helplessly, were both poignant and sympathetically executed. Even Graham's realisation that to preserve history they had to become part of it, was moving and well acted. His horror at being one of the pivotal three on the bus, after two lacklustre weeks of personal development, really made his character come alive for me. One of the joys of the historical episode is seeing modern day characters interact with famous faces as they engage in their most notable acts, and they <i>mostly</i> succeeded in getting that across.<br />
<br />
Less successful was the plotting: which is sadly becoming a recurring theme. The episode was written by Malorie Blackman and Chris Chibnall, so it's hard to really say who wrote what. I'm tempted to say that Blackman wrote the bulk of the Rosa stuff, and Chibnall wrote the rest, but the reality is probably that Blackman wrote it all, and Chibnall heavily rewrote it. That said, a<i> lot</i> of the foundational plotting bore the unmistakable hallmarks of Chibnall's flimsy set-up. Who was the villain?: well, he was a racist from the future. How did the Doctor manage to bag Elias Griffin Jr. tickets to see Sinatra?: well, Elvis just so happened to give him the Doctor's mobile phone. No explanation of why or how, these things just <i>needed</i> to happen to move the story forward, so they did.<br />
<br />
This sort of contrived hand-waving pisses me off no end. Yes, they gave reasons<i> why</i> things happened: but were those reason satisfying? Was Krasko an even vaguely interesting character? With some fleshing out, he perhaps <i>could've</i> been. Instead they chose to turn him into some toothpick-nibbling cliche, with little motivation beyond wanting to keep Ryan's 'kind' from getting ideas above their station. He was nothing more than an underdeveloped placeholder, created to derail Rosa's historic moment. As a sidenote: the funniest thing I read on Twitter after this episode aired was: 'I'm angry that the villain was so good looking.' So either only ugly people can be criminals, or the tweeter was conflicted about fancying a monster.<br />
<br />
A lot has been said recently about the show returning to its roots and educating children through its jaunts through actual history. Which although a noble brief, comes at the risk of making the dialogue generic and exposition heavy. Despite everyone being inexplicably knowledgeable about Rosa's history, there was still a liberal amount of encyclopedia-laden dialogue thrown in to educate the viewer. At one point, Ryan even had to forget some of the stuff he knew—blaming the pesky 'bus thing' for his confusion—just so the rest of the cast could fill him (and by extension, us) in on the details. Which is a clumsy way of getting information across. Show don't tell! Sophisticated television has been doing it for decades.<br />
<br />
I did like the way they handled dropping Yaz and Ryan into 1950s Alabama. Despite Ryan's initial instinct to be outraged, the fact that he (eventually) adapted to his situation and managed to act effectively<i> despite</i> his circumstances, spoke well of his character. I also enjoyed his intimate chinwag with Yaz. Whilst recognising how far modernity has come, there was also the acknowledgement that there's still a long way to go. Yes, the exchange was little preachy, but the issues arguably can't be raised enough. Whether they went far enough comparing then with now, highlighting the areas where the differences are perhaps less marked, is a question for another time. At least for young <i>Doctor Who</i> fans, the conversation is ongoing.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—How did they know that James Blake would be stood at the side of the street?<br />
<br />
—I saw a few people on Twitter claiming that <i>Doctor Who</i> is too lightweight a vehicle to address such complex subjects as racism, and whilst there <i>may</i> be some truth to that, it can certainly raise awareness, even if the heavy lifting is eventually done by more capable entities.<br />
<br />
—They really need to stop telegraphing their solutions so obviously. Last week it was Chekhov's cigar, and tonight it was Chekhov's displacement device.<br />
<br />
—Three episodes, three different style endings. Just pick something and stick with it.<br />
<br />
—If Rosa<i> hadn't</i> refused to relinquish her seat on December 1st, 1955, would the civil rights movement have stalled completely? I suppose the implication is that the Montgomery Bus Incident was a fixed point in time, but it's hard to believe that had she done the same thing a day/week/month later, the result wouldn't have been the same.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Waitress: 'We don't serve Negroes.'<br />
Ryan: 'Good, because I don't eat them.'<br />
<br />
Graham: 'Pack it in. You ain't Bansky.'<br />
Doctor: 'Or am I?'<br />
<br />
Ryan: 'Excuse me, Doctor King. Yes, Rosa Parks? Whoa!!!'<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-70211244645837651572018-10-15T21:36:00.000+01:002021-01-03T15:24:54.718+00:00Doctor Who: The Ghost Monument<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Doctor: 'No. Guns... never use 'em.'<br />
<br />
Despite praising the unChibbliness of last week's script, tonight's yarn had me reassessing my own enthusiasm. Yes, when you compare Chibnall's new <i>Who</i> stuff to his old, it doesn't seem to rely as heavily on countdowns or the pressing of random buttons, but it's still arguably over-simplistic. Why, I'm not altogether sure. <i>Broadchurch</i> was reasonably complex, with its multiple story layers, and mostly satisfying payoffs. So why do his new scripts seem so linear and lightweight?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The first ten minutes were undeniably breathtaking: from the set design, to the music, to the action, to the CGI, absolutely everything promised a total barnstormer of an episode. Then we were introduced to the Last Rally of the Twelve Galaxies, and the pace kind of drove into a ditch and set on fire. What followed was a trip through some seemingly avoidable ruins, the Doctor allowing Ryan to risk his life behaving like a total arse, some sentient alien bandages, and a hand-holding finale from the Doctor that can only be described as banal. Isn't a rally supposed to be fast paced and fun? There was so much walking. And talking. And standing around. And talking.<br />
<br />
A big issue I'm having this season is with rewatchability. Moffat's scripts<i> always</i> required a second viewing to squeeze out that last drop of narrative juice, and even Russell's less complex tales had <i>some </i>secrets to give up. Yet with Chibnall's scripts, what you see is what you get. In fact, I felt tonight's episode actually <i>suffered</i> from a second viewing. It added nothing to the story at all. There's no piecing together of clues, no mind-numbing twists, no surprises. Which is making for a largely unrewarding viewing experience. There's nothing to really sink your teeth into, marvel at, or get excited about. At least, not yet.<br />
<br />
Sure, there was the 'timeless child' tease this week. Presumably this will be the new season arc, but I couldn't help but think in my head: what if the Doctor was previously a woman, gave birth to a child, and for some reason forgot about it. Which is a totally ridiculous idea for a story, but at this point in the season, I think I'm hoping for something outlandish to shake things up. Wouldn't it be great if the vanilla plotting so far was just a cover for some utterly bonkers plot reveal? Do I think it is? No, I think that whoever the timeless child is will be revealed in due time, with minimal imagination, and we'll all go 'Well, that makes sense, I guess,' whilst being largely underwhelmed. But is that what we really want from <i>Doctor Who</i>? Have our standards dropped so low?<br />
<br />
On a positive note, Jodie Whittaker is hands-down the best thing about the new series. I know a few people have criticised her accent and delivery, but I think her portrayal of the Doctor is spot on. After the post-regeneration confusion of last week, tonight her Doctor was on the ball, alert, and authoritative. Perhaps she asked a few too many questions, and relied too heavily on her magic wand... sorry, sonic screwdriver, to get them out of fixes, but she comes across as likeable, trustworthy, and the ideal person to have around when the proverbial hits the fan.<br />
<br />
Also lovely, was seeing her reunited with her TARDIS. With the show titles back in place, and the gang back aboard the Doctor's spaceship, hopefully things will start to feel more familiar. I'm fairly neutral on the new TARDIS interior. Some people get excited by the frequent redecorations, but I can't say I've been blown away by any of the redesigns. The custard cream dispenser was a nice touch though, and I liked the way the TARDIS opened for the Doctor when she'd lost her key. I'm glad that what Gaiman set up in 'The Doctor's Wife' still resonates today. Just knowing that the love affair continues unabated, even if it's on the periphery, makes my heart feel glad.<br />
<br />
I was less keen on the show's clumsy moralising. Last week we learned that knives are for idiots. Okay, sure. Unless you want to peel an onion, but whatever. Tonight we were reliably informed that guns are bad, and to really hammer the moral message home, Ryan went all Call of Duty on some inexplicably inept killer robots, only to fail miserably and require the assistance of the Doctor's improvised EMP blast. The moral of the story: brains are better than brawn. Or more specifically, that finding shit on the floor is better than shooting people. Which it probably is, but the convenience of the Doctor finding an explodey button inside the carcass of a cyber sniper, really did feel like a contrived way of making an accurate but trite point.<br />
<br />
The question must also be asked: should the Doctor have allowed Ryan to go racing into danger, armed with little more than an unfamiliar weapon and video game expertise? One of the problems I had with 'Robot of Sherwood' is that it made the Doctor look stupid for the sake of comedy, and tonight repeated that mistake. Ryan had to take a massive risk (a) for the sake of a joke, and (b) because it was required for the Doctor to make her point. So stupidity prevailed for the sake of moving the plot along. Which did a disservice to the great character development Ryan got last week. All he did this week was run needlessly into danger, scream and wave his arms around like an idiot, and then ask if he could press the TARDIS' buttons. Who in their right mind, on entering a space ship for the first time, asks whether they can press buttons?<br />
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Yaz is still underdeveloped, which is unfortunate because she's the one I'm most interested in getting to know. In fact, after some strong development for Ryan last week, tonight's episode focused less on its main characters, and more on the story. Which, as I said last week, may become a problem going forward as the stories really aren't that strong. Even the supporting cast characterisation wasn't stellar. Angstrom's development was okay, but Epzo's falling-out-of-a-tree anecdote, just so they could emphasise at the end that people are stronger together, felt both predictable and forced. Still, with Malorie Blackman on writing duties next week, let's see what a new voice can bring to the table. I mean, it's not as if they can fuck up a Rosa Parks story... is it?<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—Can we assume that since the Doctor said 'These are my new best friends,' that the infamous 'Will you be my new friends?' line was either cut or meant solely for trailer purposes?<br />
<br />
—The Stenza are back already? I'm not sure they had the immediate impact of say the Vasta Nerada or even the Silence, but maybe there's some mileage there.<br />
<br />
—I loved how after the Doctor said they all looked shattered, both Graham and Ryan yawned. You know... just to emphasise how true it was.<br />
<br />
—So everybody dug a hole so as not to get burned alive, only for the wide shot to reveal they were all lying on flat sand.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Doctor: 'I'm really good in a tight spot. At least I have been historically. I'm sure I still am.'<br />
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Doctor: 'Come to daddy. I mean, mommy.'Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-26635741705121779912018-10-09T16:48:00.000+01:002021-01-03T15:24:54.714+00:00Doctor Who: The Woman Who Fell to Earth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Karl: 'I'm with him. We don't get aliens in Sheffield.'<br />
<br />
First things first: whoever decided it'd be a spiffing idea to lead us virtually blind into the new series—with just a shitty teaser and two trailers entirely devoid of substance to guide us—deserves to be dragged naked through the streets of Sheffield. This episode was nothing like I was expecting—and it really <i>wasn't</i> my fault. They gave us nothing but generic blandness going in, so I <i>expected</i> generic blandness. Thankfully, it was pretty solid. Sure, it might not feel like<i> Doctor Who</i> yet, but it felt <i>Doctor Who</i>-ish.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Immediately after it aired, Twitter was ablaze with people lauding Chibnall's first offering as 'a breath of fresh air'. I disagree. As far as I'm concerned, the air was <i>never </i>stale. To my mind, the Capaldi era will one day be looked back upon as an era of freakishly consistent and compelling storytelling. Yes, season ten was arguably (and believe me, people do) Moffat's weakest, but this in no way undermines the two seasons which preceded it. For reasons which entirely escape me, people just didn't take to the dream team that was Capaldi, Coleman and Moffat. Oddly enough, I think this episode worked because it bore little resemblance to Chibnall's prior <i>Who</i> output. It's hardly news that Chibnall's contributions to the series pre-tonight's episode have been disappointing, so if anything was a breath of fresh air, it was Chibnall's writing. It hardly whiffed at all. If fact, despite knowing he'd written it, I still found myself checking the end credits to make sure.<br />
<br />
My worst fears were that the show would feel like <i>Class:</i> a spin-off with tenuous links to the show proper. And it kind of did. But, instead of being <i>Class</i>, it felt more like <i>Torchwood</i>. You know, decent <i>Torchwood,</i> not season four what-the-fuck-did-they-do-to-Torchwood<i>, Torchwood</i>? Which should come as no surprise, as Chibnall wrote for that show too. That said, it was still a bold decision to change just about every aspect of the show. Not only did they give us a new Doctor with a new gender, we also got three new companions, a new team of writers, a new special effects ensemble, a new composer, ten episodes instead of thirteen, fifty minutes instead of forty five... it's almost as if Chibnall went out of his way to make the show as un-<i>Doctor Who</i>-ish as possible.<br />
<br />
Yet despite stripping away many of its traditional trappings, I liked it. Sure, there were a few dodgy lines here and there, but even the stinkers from the trailer ('I'm the Doctor. When people need help, I never refuse'), once put in their rightful context, weren't half as cringeworthy as they felt back in September. Hopefully 'Would you be my new friends?' will have a similarly mitigating context. I'm also confident that once the titles and TARDIS are back, and we're off-world again, it'll be pretty much business as usual. There were probably enough residual elements—the Doctor's post-regeneration confusion, rebuilding a sonic screwdriver from scratch, the odd burst of the <i>Doctor Who</i> theme music—to remind us that we're still watching the same show, but on the whole I think the changes have detracted rather than added to the experience.<br />
<br />
Of course, Jodie was predictably excellent. I've never had an issue with Whittaker's casting; the only issue I've ever had with them casting a woman, is that they should have done it a decade ago. When you wait until people are clamouring for change, you've procrastinated too long. So although I'm glad to see Jodie at the helm, I wish they'd been more proactive in shaking things up. A couple of reviews I read earlier in the week said that Jodie was a little too child-like for their tastes. I really didn't see any of that tonight. I think that Chibnall writes women well, and I liked that they didn't make an issue out of the gender swap. In fact, according the Chibbers, such was the secrecy surrounding Jodie's casting, that many of the episodes were written for a male Doctor. Whether this becomes more noticeable in the non-Chibnall penned episodes, we'll have to wait and see, but so far the signs are good.<br />
<br />
Companions wise, I liked Yaz and Ryan. Ryan was served well by the script, came across as likeable if a tad troubled, and I was pleased that they didn't have him riding his bike by the end of the episode. Shows have a tendency to treat disability as either a gimmick or something to be fixed, so it'll be interesting to see what kind of utility his dyspraxia has beyond the opening episode. Yaz is still a little underdeveloped, but I read somewhere that they'll be focusing of different companions in different episodes, so there's probably plenty of backstory to come for her too. I also love the idea of everyone already knowing each other, thus eradicating the need to spend precious time developing their relationship. I was less enamoured with Graham. Bradley Walsh coped well with some of the funnier lines, and did okay with the funeral scene, but seemed a little wooden elsewhere.<br />
<br />
Grace's death was predictable—there were only three advertised companions, after all—although it's plausible that she could have somehow avoided their impromptu trip into space. I found her death affecting though, which is good going for a one-episode wonder. In fact, if I had to pick a single strength of tonight's episode, it's that it was primarily character driven. Of course, the payoff was that the plot suffered. There was nothing particularly complex about the story, particular after living through six seasons of Moffat's narrative what-the-fuckery. The Doctor removing the DNA bombs off-screen felt a little naughty, but apart from that, it was pretty much Who-by-numbers. Which is fine for an opening episode with lots to do, but might turn out to be a problem as the season progresses.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—The blast of music when Jodie first appeared was brilliant; in fact, a lot of the music was effectively done. None of that Murray Gold over the top nonsense this season.<br />
<br />
—Ryan's youtube video had 19 views and two dislikes. The internet really is an unforgiving place.<br />
<br />
—I'm glad that Yaz took the piss out of the Doctor's choice of new clothes. Truth be told, they're a bit shit.<br />
<br />
—Yeah, Rahul, I know that chains are heavy, but when confronted by a killer alien, it's fine to push your way through.<br />
<br />
—I loved the crane to crane jump, but was less happy with the characterisation of Karl. He felt like someone from a different show. He was like the comic relief which never quite paid off. <br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Why are you calling me madam?'<br />
Yaz: 'Because you're a woman.'<br />
Doctor: 'Am I! Does it suit me?'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'Right then, troops. No, not troops. Team. Gang. Fam? I'm distracting myself.'<br />
<br />
Doctor: 'That nap did me the world of good. Very comfy sofa.'<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-54618080549760707482018-03-22T11:13:00.000+00:002021-01-03T15:24:54.716+00:00Shetland: Season Four - Episode Six<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGOlgOh_fWCDjaIjRGCEGt0B5mr9lOmj3YtBla04npXSsxpgZjCclE88Z639gQBI1MBVi9_OrV9BisoWgMnNXvTf0lQ84f1RmcL7kIPrydXgB6coyIVD9LdknLnzDTk5SvGtN9bIJlA/s1600/shetland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="968" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzGOlgOh_fWCDjaIjRGCEGt0B5mr9lOmj3YtBla04npXSsxpgZjCclE88Z639gQBI1MBVi9_OrV9BisoWgMnNXvTf0lQ84f1RmcL7kIPrydXgB6coyIVD9LdknLnzDTk5SvGtN9bIJlA/s320/shetland.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Perez: 'Christ, Rhona. Do you think I want this to be happening?'<br />
<br />
When the closing credits started to roll, I thought to myself: well, at least I guessed <i>one </i>of the killers. After some honest contemplation, I was forced to
admit that the only reason I guessed who killed
Lizzie was because at some point I've suspected
<i>everyone:</i> Duncan, Drew, Kate... even Curly Haired Jigging Woman and Beardy Extra. So kudos
to David Kane for writing a script that kept us
guessing till the end, and then kicked us up the
arse for daring to believe in justice.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>There were some stellar performances tonight—
from Henshall's spectacularly tense scenes with Mark Bonnar, to Erin Armstrong's reaction to Duncan's
betrayal, to Fiona Bell's impassioned confession—but I have to single out Stephen Walters <i>again </i>for his
portrayal of the unpredictable Malone. The way he vacillated between innocence and menace was so well done,
that even when you feared Malone would do something dreadful, you were <i>still </i>somehow on his side. When he started
to choke, I initially thought someone had poisoned his tea, then I remembered those early scenes of him sat
alone in his house, washing down an assortment of medication with alcohol. After that, his untimely demise became upsetting, as the stress of the ordeal took its toll on his weakened heart. Just as he was about to have his
name cleared, too. Fuck!<br />
<br />
The one thing I love about <i>Shetland </i>is the way it portrays the intimacy of island life, and how that closeness
leads to real tension when objectivity is required. Duncan seemed almost put-out by Perez's unwillingness to
blindly support him, despite his story falling apart on numerous occasions, and him repeatedly lying through
his teeth. Maybe if MIT hadn't been on Shetland, Perez would've handled things differently, but DI Cole was out
for blood, and honesty was Duncan's best bet—yet his stubbornness <i>almost</i> got the better of him. Not that I
ever believed Duncan capable of killing <i>anyone</i>, but his evasion tonight drove me spare, and almost ended in
him getting shot. If he'd been honest with Perez from the start, maybe he would've avoided detention
entirely.<br />
<br />
Donna was my main suspect for Lizzie's murder, particularly after finding out that Duncan was Alan's father—a
fact confirmed tonight, but heavily hinted at last week. It just opened up a whole avenue of motives, most of them revolving around the abusive Kevin Killick. Drew killing Sally was more of a surprise. The idea of a
father killing his own daughter never really occurred to me—mainly because it's such a repugnant notion—although Drew's reasons for doing so <i>did </i>make sense. Yes, Sally was his daughter, but their relationship had
become fractured after the death of his wife, and Donna was the love of his life; so there was only ever going to be one victor. I
actually felt a little sorry for Donna. If Lizzie <i>was</i> a total monster, and killing her <i>was</i> the only surefire way of
ensuring Donna and Alan's safety, then what else <i>could</i> she have done?<br />
<br />
My only disappointment with the series was the petering out of Jo's storyline. Kane worked hard to position her at the periphery of the central narrative, only for her to have been telling the truth all along. Her husband <i>was</i> an abusive
idiot, Sally <i>had</i> been talking to a Norwegian man at the festival, and the only thing she was guilty of was a
minor crush on her housemate's boyfriend. I felt certain that the appearance of Robert Downing would result in
further complications—especially with him lying to Perez about his reasons for being on Shetland—but after
being duffed up by Lars, that was pretty much the end of Jo as a character.<br />
<br />
By contrast, I was happy that they finally gave Molly something to do besides pout, even if her attempted
entrapment of Malone was somewhat ill advised. I was initially dubious as to Molly's innocence over Sally's
murder, especially with her being so emotionally volatile. I've also struggled to understand why she harboured
such animosity towards Malone over a murder that happened before she was born. Thankfully, the missing
piece of the puzzle came at the end, with Molly confessing to wanting to bring the whole affair to a close.
When I think back to how dazed and detached Kate was back in episode one, it makes sense that Molly
would've done anything to alleviate her mother's suffering. She was just lucky that Malone wasn't a killer,
otherwise the kilns on Unst might've had a third strangled resident.<br />
<br />
So all in all, a satisfactory conclusion to what's been an absorbing season—with a fifth to air in 2019.
Hopefully they'll stick with the six episode serialised format: the endless red herrings of extended detective
dramas can often become tedious, but six hours feels like a decent time over which to drape a story. I'm also thankful that we made it through with both Cassie and Tosh intact. I felt sure they were back for purely dramatic reasons, so to finish the season with them alive, well, and not threatening to leave Shetland, makes
my heart feel glad.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—The 8mm footage of Lizzie was hilarious. I don't think I've seen someone flirting so hard. Virtually every shot
was of her dancing around, staring suggestively at the camera.<br />
<br />
—DI Cole was hard work tonight. I get that she was frustrated by what she perceived to be Perez's lack of
objectivity, but did she have to be so harsh?<br />
<br />
—They really need to flesh out Mary's character. She seemed to spend the bulk of her time in the background of other people's shots, looking confused as to why she was there.<br />
<br />
—I was worried that the events of the series would drive a wedge between Perez and Duncan, but the ending seems to suggest there are no hard feelings.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Perez: 'Cassie's safe. You I'm not so sure about.'<br />
<br />
Duncan: 'One call, that's all I'm asking.'<br />
Perez: 'You've had plenty of time to tell her. You can wait a wee bit longer.'<br />
<br />
DI Cole: 'Do you have a problem with me, or is just a problem with being told what to do in general?'<br />
Perez: 'No, no... it's just you.'<br />
<br />
Duncan: 'I swear on Cassie's life that I did not harm any of those women.'<br />
<br />
Perez: 'If you lie to me one more time, I swear to God I’ll break your neck.'Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-85353116915783345282018-03-15T12:38:00.000+00:002021-01-03T15:24:54.719+00:00Shetland: Season Four - Episode Five<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJzx-dJxSbVp8uih9jLrqkvyR-cA-IKv1jm5LorgVg7LBlpVomZ2lQUEJ4XX-zNID8W7DhoViR6WuPJWSOSHSVk_soRxs_V5Wmu0scJL2TWS7kxQO5ADyXVSj_KMsrkRrgPy-Vi7nQQ/s1600/shetland-perez-jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJzx-dJxSbVp8uih9jLrqkvyR-cA-IKv1jm5LorgVg7LBlpVomZ2lQUEJ4XX-zNID8W7DhoViR6WuPJWSOSHSVk_soRxs_V5Wmu0scJL2TWS7kxQO5ADyXVSj_KMsrkRrgPy-Vi7nQQ/s320/shetland-perez-jpg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Sandy: 'Jo, can you remember who did this to you? Was it Thomas Malone? Was it your ex-husband?'<br />
<br />
Sandy finally managed to ask some sensible questions this week, only to be scuppered by Jo's knackered throat and the old witness-out-of-commission ploy. At least we know <i>who</i> gave Jo a mullering, although we're still in the dark as to whether she has any deeper involvement in the story. After the appearance of her shady can't-tell-the-truth-for-shit husband, I'm guessing so, but it was nice to see a cliffhanger with consequences.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>This week's ending was also a corker. I don't for one moment believe that Duncan is guilty of anything more than inappropriate knobbing and outrageous teenage hair, but he's <i>clearly</i> done something, and whatever that something is<i> must </i>go beyond being unfaithful to Fran: otherwise, what was that guilty look towards Mary about? Could it be connected with Alan's paternity? If Duncan is Alan Killick's father, that would at least explain why he tried to warn Alan off Cassie. If Duncan knows they're siblings, it makes sense that he'd want to keep them apart. The situation's weird enough without incest raising its ugly head.<br />
<br />
As suspected from his roadwork comment last week, Lars <i>has</i> been on Shetland before, and in case we weren't irritated by him enough already, he's also a xenophobe and member of the NDA. He's always had the kind of face you instinctively want to punch, but after his capture, his smugness levels went through the roof: from his nationalistic rhetoric, to repeating cliched slogans (fa dem ut), to him threatening Tosh. I'm glad Tosh stood up to him without flinching, but I wouldn't have minded seeing her and Rhona giving him a discreet kicking in his cell. With Lars now locked up, and the NDA's plans both uncovered and seemingly foiled, does this mean that Lars and the Norwegian plotline has run its course?<br />
<br />
Stephen Walters hasn't put a foot wrong all season and was excellent again tonight. Malone's admission to teetering on the brink of suicide was expertly delivered, and, after a few dodgy episodes, drew us back to him as a character. Yes, the innocent-man-presumed-guilty trope is well worn, but I've enjoyed the complexity they've imbued Malone with, and seeing Walters bring it all to life has been a privilege. Malone's newfound desire to live the life he deserves will hopefully be the end of Malone's story: although I'd like to see his innocence acknowledged by the islanders—Drew and Molly in particular—before the series ends.<br />
<br />
There was also some nice character stuff for the three main detectives. Sandy finally seemed to realise how unreasonable he's been toward Jo all season, right before undoing it all by jumping to unwarranted conclusions about Malone. He just wouldn't be Sandy if he wasn't taking one step forward and two steps back. And the stuff between Tosh and Perez—with Perez professing confidence in Tosh's intuition, despite her own uncertainty—was a lovely moment of warmth wrapped in anger. I haven't commented much on Doug Henshall's performance this season, mainly because he plays Perez with such subtly that he rarely stands above the story, but his body language towards MIT tonight was <i>perfect.</i> I've never seen such utter disdain expressed in so few words.<br />
<br />
Obviously, bringing MIT to the island was a necessary part of the legal process, but outside of giving Perez a direction to focus his ire, I'm not sure they've added much to the story. All they've done so far is express a tacit disgust for Shetland, complain about the size of the plane, the length of the landing strip, and generally overturn the relative peace that Perez and Co. have worked hard to establish. I fully expect Perez to solve the case next week, before going on to castigate MIT for their interference, and for DI Cole to tip Perez a begrudging nod of respect before heading off back to the mainland, tail firmly between her legs. Alternately, the NDA could blow up Shetland, sink it, and bring the whole series to a spectacular end. I'm expecting the former, but praying for the latter.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
—Perez's comment about Jo telling the truth 'this time' seemed a bit harsh. Can we be certain that she was lying the other times?<br />
<br />
—How good are Perez's eyes? Him catching that key fob was nothing short of miraculous. It also explained Lars' obsession with the footage.<br />
<br />
—If I'd been Tosh, there's no way I'd have signed a statement written in Norwegian.<br />
<br />
—I'm not entirely sure I buy Kate's 'Molly changed everything' shtick. The two of them just don't seem that close.<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Sandy: 'There's nothing you can say that I haven't already thought myself.'<br />
<br />
DI Cole: 'Do you want to know what I think?'<br />
Malone: 'No.'<br />
<br />
DI Cole: 'You're looking at everyone else apart from him.'<br />
Perez: 'And you're making the same mistake that Drew McColl did.'<br />
<br />
Malone: 'And I thought, maybe I'll just fly away. Just let myself go and fly. But I want to live. I <i>deserve</i> to live.'Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1768269625740412102.post-91803014985163053242018-03-08T17:44:00.000+00:002021-01-03T15:24:54.720+00:00Shetland: Season Four - Episode Four<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqkWWwGEHcSFND51trmnZpuHdpEBd5t_14RS0k4E87zcN4O8FBsdCore4sJmXF39PCQjVjKDIhXxtAQR40tFbsaMe9P8CTT2Zk83owAwWxMSlqR-ViJ5MYIV70dcANTn-O6TFRLvcjg/s1600/shetland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqkWWwGEHcSFND51trmnZpuHdpEBd5t_14RS0k4E87zcN4O8FBsdCore4sJmXF39PCQjVjKDIhXxtAQR40tFbsaMe9P8CTT2Zk83owAwWxMSlqR-ViJ5MYIV70dcANTn-O6TFRLvcjg/s1600/shetland.jpg" /></a></div>
Perez: 'Nobody's better off dead.'<br />
<br />
If last week's sinister music, sombre faces, and speeding vans were anything to go by, Tosh and Jimmy should've been in the shit tonight. Spoiler alert: nothing dramatic happened. I may have been wrong about the vans' occupants being disreputable halibut salesmen, but the truth was only marginally less fishy: it was simply the local constabulary wanting a chat. Stay tuned to see this week's cliffhanger explained away as Jo slipping on a banana skin and knocking herself out on an inconveniently placed easel.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Joking aside, at least we know that Jo's frequent nocturnal visitor isn't just a figment of her imagination. Whether it's her ex-husband indulging in a spot of late night highland rock tossing, or whether the commotion going on outside and the clemmy through the window are coincidental to her personal woes, at least we know she isn't being neurotic. We also know that she has a thing for Alan, and I'm starting to wonder whether her feelings are being reciprocated. Alan <i>has</i> been visiting her a lot lately: although, it's hard to work out whether he's genuinely concerned for Jo, or is just popping round for a spot of recreational clothes sniffing.<br />
<br />
At the moment both Malone and Jo are too obvious to be serious suspects. Clearly both have unhealthy obsessions—the depths of Jo's I suspect we've yet to discover—but that doesn't necessarily make them murderers. Of the rest: I think that Drew is innocent of murder—he couldn't have killed his own daughter and seems certain that Malone killed Lizzie—but probably guilty of more than fabricating evidence. And after the weirdness of Malone's bosom gallery and finding Lizzie's photo in his wallet, Kate seemed quick to reconsider Malone's guilt—which seems to rule her out as Lizzie's murderer. As to whether she killed Sally: we're unaware of them having much of a history, but that could change in the coming weeks.<br />
<br />
Assessing Alan's involvement is a tough one. Obviously he was too young to have killed Lizzie, but if he'd known that Sally was planning to leave both Shetland <i>and</i> him, then that <i>may</i> be motive for murder. Then there's his mum, Donna; she didn't feature much in tonight's episode, but there's still the question of who Alan's father is to sort out. Neither of the guys she was talking to in the videotape are known to us, but they did use a combination of regular actors and younger stand-ins to replicate the past, so although we may not recognise them, that doesn't mean we don't know their older selves. They also did a hilarious job of de-ageing the older members of the cast. Drew still had his grey beard, and Duncan's wig o' youth was hilarious. Has Mark Bonnar ever had hair that thick?.<br />
<br />
There's also the largely unexplored Nordic side of the equation to consider. Obviously Mati is now out of the picture, what with him being dead; Hagen's still a possible suspect, despite being an unknown quantity; and Lars is ringing all manner of alarm bells. He's either a genuinely nice guy, there to advance Tosh's story and teach her how to trust again; or he's lying through his teeth, is involved with the NDA, and is back on Shetland to nose around. If this was his first visit to the island, then how did he know a shortcut back to his digs? He also seems to be pushing Tosh hard romantically, despite Tosh's interest at times appearing decidedly lukewarm. Is he coming on strong because he senses a deeper interest inside her, or is he simply trying to ingratiate himself with the enemy?<br />
<br />
You have to feel sorry for Malone. Sure, he does the stupidest things imaginable, and shows up in places least likely to welcome him—Sally's funeral being a prime example—but there's a simpleness to him that makes you feel for him. Him trying to talk to Molly illustrated perfectly this habit he has of trying to do the right thing the wrong way. And it seems that even Kate—last week his staunchest supporter—is turning against him. Admittedly his nude drawings of Lizzie were a bit off putting, but he didn't do himself any favours by standing in front of her car and grinning maniacally. Sadly, that's Malone all over. He can't stop shitting and falling back in it.<br />
<br />
<b>Other Thoughts: </b><br />
<br />
—Sandy is a terrible detective. All he seems to do is say the wrong thing, jump to unwarranted conclusions, and favour the locals.<br />
<br />
—Tosh must be a fussy tea drinker. It'd take more than too much milk for me to throw a cuppa away.<br />
<br />
—Were Malone's sketches good enough to be recognisable as Lizzie?<br />
<br />
—I forgot to mention Molly as a possible suspect in Sally's murder. Her hatred of Malone is so extreme, is it possible she killed Sally just to re-implicate Malone?<br />
<br />
<b>Quotes:</b><br />
<br />
Perez: 'Piss off. Now!'<br />
<br />
Perez: 'Well Sandy thinks the worst of her and you think the best of her, and as usual, the truth's probably somewhere in between.'<br />
<br />
<br />Paul Reedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02927027468227544676noreply@blogger.com7