Doctor Who is back and a handful of us at Sub-Cultured are fans so with two episodes under our belts, we wanted to do a short general consensus. Is this better than Series 7? Are we on board for Capaldi? Where’s River (“dead” yes, but….)? Jen, Tushar, Sam and myself got together to discuss Series 8 thus far. The consensus? Cautiously if not generally optimistic.
MOFFAT & CAPALDI
Capaldi is amazing and no doubt will be curbing some of Moffat’s ish.
General reactions to the past two episodes have been relatively positive, we already think it’s better than Series 7 thus far with, surprisingly enough only Jen (and not myself) being more of the outlier with a more frustrated and neither here nor there opinion on some things, most of her complaints having to do with Moffat as head writer and a desire to have a new person in charge for a fresher feel.
I agree with the sentiment to a degree, many of the “Moffat” problems are noticeable (and eye rolling) and the last two episodes had some pacing issues. I myself am not liking the new “control freak” characterization of Clara and being chastised by the Doctor and other characters for it which seemed to come out of nowhere. Unless I’ve been missing something.
To answer one of our initial questions, between all of us we’re completely on board with Capaldi as the Doctor and enjoy the new “non-flirty” dynamic established between The Doctor and Clara with his return to a more mature personality and appearance. Tushar in particular noted he’s glad there’s no romance there. The Doctor’s dislike of soldiers seems to be a plot theme for this series, particularly with Danny Pink eventually joining the cast. Clara’s sympathy for soldiers, particularly Journey Blue (who I’m not quite sure we’ve seen the last of considering Jenna may be leaving and that look Jenna gave her) and her obvious attraction to Danny may mean some interesting developments to come regarding this thematic thread.
SOLDIERS
We discussed that the young, virile and “flirty” Casanova swashbuckler and Peter Pan Doctors of 10 and 11, The Man Who Regrets and the Man Who Forgets, were overall needed after the War Doctor and 9. They were reactionary coping mechanisms after 9 who was still war grizzled. The Doctor’s current dislike of soldiers in this body could be seen as stemming from his dislike of himself as The War Doctor, who was indeed a soldier. Does the Doctor actually remember that he didn’t actually destroy Galifrey?
THE GIRL IN THE FIREPLACE
Think we’ll be seeing more of Journey Blue? I think we might!
Sam additionally discussed that Capaldi was supposedly the originally the first choice for 11 and asserted they changed direction and went with Matt Smith instead and thus the script apparently changed, so we wonder if all the narrative elements tying to the series 2 episode “The Girl In The Fireplace” that are suddenly cropping up are them trying to backpedal to a narrative they wanted to tell long ago.
“I think the better question maybe why does Moffat use “The Girl in the Fireplace” to establish the doctor’s humanity and then wait for a Doctor and half to use another story of the Clockwork people to call into question the Doctor’s Humanity. Moffat rarely lets plot points go to waste.”
Jen voiced her need for more consistent narrative threading, had some of this appeared in smaller doses earlier it wouldn’t have seen so strange to come back to it after all this time. We’re cautiously optimistic about Missy.
CLARA
Clara’s increased dialogue and firmer conviction have been much needed. Jen still wants a more consistent psychological arc for her.
Clara was a subject of conversation; most of us agree they’re finally treating and writing her a bit better, now that her mystery is more or less answered and as Sam pointed out, she’s gone from plot device to an actual character. She’s been given some quite meaty monologues and a more gutsy presence. Jen still does not care for her much and that hurts her perception of the show:
“I don’t like the show right now because I want more talk of Trenzalore and because I don’t like Clara at all. And I feel like the companion is at least 40% of the show, so if I can’t like the companion, I can’t LOVE the show.”
We all saw some lost opportunity with the second episode with the dalek considering a future version of Clara actually became in a way, a good dalek, which was more or less the last time Jen liked the character.
When it comes to Clara I voiced I am disappointed that some elements they were making seem important regarding her character; Clara’s birthdays, her Atlas book, possibly her mother’s death have all seemingly been dropped, but I am glad she’s finally developing.
Slap the Doctor. Not a euphemism.
I posited much of her character being a mess could be owed to the Victorian Clara originally being the one to actually go with 11 and them then changing their minds, killing her and shoehorning in an additional new “modern” Clara. That may explain some of Clara’s vague writing in the past but still doesn’t excuse the bad writing that’s also occurred.
We all, however really liked Clara being more outspoken and contentious with the Doctor; the lines “You’re not my boss you’re one of my hobbies” and the big slap from Clara in “Into The Dalek” was a resounding hit with us (as was Clara getting pelted with the newspaper in ‘Deep Breath”, which should have been horrible).
Jen:
“I want her to stand up to him way more often. I like that she slapped him and I like that she’s not his companion.”
We thought the phone call to Clara in “Deep Breath” was a nice touch, and 11 expressing dismay over getting old only further cements his Peter Pan-ness and was a good buffer for the fan base, particularly young fans who indeed, like Clara, may be having a hard time adjusting to an older man on screen again.
It’s all agreed we want a sole young male companion without any romance or coupling with a female companion to justify his going to change things up, but overall it looks like a good ride after series 7’s rather clunky delivery. Clara and Danny clearly mirror Barbara and Ian, fitting for the 50th, all we need now is our Susan. What do you think? Have you been enjoying Capaldi thus far? Let us know!
Max Eber
Staff Writer
Twitter: @maxlikescomics
REVIEW | The Punisher Season 2
The 15 Best Episodes of Psych
Doctor Who: Meet Your New Doctor
10 Star Trek Episodes to Watch for Agents of Yesterday
REVIEW | Stranger Things
Marco Polo: Pool Based Water Game Now on Netflix
It was officially announced yesterday, June first, both by the BBC and Matt Smith himself that after much speculation and rumors, Matt Smith is indeed stepping out of the blue police-box this Christmas.
Say what?
In the official press release Matt writes:
“Doctor Who has been the most brilliant experience for me as an actor and a bloke, and that largely is down to the cast, crew and fans of the show. I’m incredibly grateful to all the cast and crew who work tirelessly every day, to realize all the elements of the show and deliver Doctor Who to the audience. Many of them have become good friends and I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the last four years.
Having Steven Moffat as showrunner write such varied, funny, mind-bending and brilliant scripts has been one of the greatest and most rewarding challenges of my career. It’s been a privilege and a treat to work with Steven, he’s a good friend and will continue to shape a brilliant world for the Doctor.
The fans of Doctor Who around the world are unlike any other; they dress up, shout louder, know more about the history of the show (and speculate more about the future of the show) in a way that I’ve never seen before, your dedication is truly remarkable. Thank you so very much for supporting my incarnation of the Time Lord, number Eleven, who I might add is not done yet, I’m back for the 50th anniversary and the Christmas special!
It’s been an honor to play this part, to follow the legacy of brilliant actors, and helm the TARDIS for a spell with ‘the ginger, the nose and the impossible one’. But when ya gotta go, ya gotta go and Trenzalore calls. Thank you guys.” Matt.
I’m coming guys.
Steven Moffat, lead writer and executive producer also states:
“Every day, on every episode, in every set of rushes, Matt Smith surprised me: the way he’d turn a line, or spin on his heels, or make something funny, or out of nowhere make me cry, I just never knew what was coming next. The Doctor can be clown and hero, often at the same time, and Matt rose to both challenges magnificently. And even better than that, given the pressures of this extraordinary show, he is one of the nicest and hardest-working people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Whatever we threw at him – sometimes literally – his behavior was always worthy of the Doctor.
But great actors always know when it’s time for the curtain call, so this Christmas prepare for your hearts to break, as we say goodbye to number Eleven. Thank you Matt – bow ties were never cooler.
Of course, this isn’t the end of the story, because now the search begins. Somewhere out there right now – all unknowing, just going about their business – is someone who’s about to become the Doctor. A life is going to change, and Doctor Who will be born all over again! After 50 years, that’s still so exciting!”
Since Matt Smith succeeded David Tennant as The Doctor on the long running Doctor Who series in 2009, and his debut 5th series premiering in 2010, Matt’s Eleventh Doctor with his Peter Pan boyish demeanor, odd body and facial proportions, general clumsiness and BAFTA nomination worthy crying and tantrums acting have helped broaden the show’s global viewership especially in America where the show has won fan-favorite contests and landed on the cover of Entertainment Weekly twice. Each series premiere and finales since Matt’s debut in series 5 have brought record breaking viewership for BBC America each time with the Series 7 premiere Asylum of The Daleks raking in 1.6 million live viewers, up 23 percent from series 6’s 2011 former record breaking premiere. America’s viewership keeps going up exponentially whilst British viewership has stayed rather static if not loosing base viewership overall since the series’ revival in 2005.
Much speculation has been swirling around concerning Matt Smith’s continuation of the role anyway given his casting in Ryan Gosling’s film To Catch a Monster and his obvious interest in an American film and theater or directing career much like other invading UK imports like perennial favorite Emma Watson, the half-British Andrew Garfield, fellow ex-doctor Christopher Eccleston, Henry Cavill, Carey Mulligan, Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Dancy and former co-star (and totally his wife) Karen Gillan. All these actors have made comfortable or up and coming film and television careers across the Atlantic (while other ex-Who companions such as Catherine Tate have just wrapped up her time on The Office whilst Freema Agyeman, John Barrowman and Alex Kingston have all made debuts or returned to American television, with Karen Gillan also joining a sitcom on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim block later this year. Arthur Darvill is currently making his Broadway debut in the play Once as well) and have effectively flooded our superhero film market with Andrew serving as the current Spider-Man and Henry Cavill donning the unabashedly American red and blue of Superman this month. Karen too (man she’s busy) was just announced as being cast as head villain (that’s right villain!) in Marvel’s quirky risk-taking but star-studded Guardians of The Galaxy film.
To shift gears and join the crowd in that manner seems a natural progression for Matt, who took the role of The Doctor at a fresh-faced age of twenty-six and is now thirty years old. Besides, the ubiquitous”Fall of the Eleventh” buzz phrase and the trip to Trenzalore has always clued that Matt’s tenure was never meant to be terribly long and and since we have arrived at Trenzalore, it most likely ends there. Matt currently edges slightly past David Tennant (basically neck to neck) as the longest running Doctor of the revived series anyway, with Karen Gillan’s Amy Pond being (not surprisingly) the longest continuous companion of the revived series to match.
And while it’s sad to see Matt go, we here IhoGeek (mainly Jen and I, okay mostly Jen) have long predicted his exit this season. With River Song’s poignant final farewell to her husband post Library saving in “The Name of The Doctor”, it makes sense Eleven would shortly go thereafter without any remnants of the Ponds left in any manner despite the Doctor’s already longstanding mourning for them and River’s most likely departure to the Library in between The Angels Take Manhattan and The Snowmen. It just makes sense given Eleven’s strong intertwined history with Amy Pond. I swear to not have a flashback, mentioning, or featuring even a cameo of an elderly Amy in NYC this Christmas before he regenerates would be a travesty.
Married. And very sad. Just how writer’s like it. They drink your tears. I should know.
Matt’s current companion, the affable but underdeveloped (in my humble opinion) Jenna Louise Coleman’s Clara Oswald, her mystery now seemingly solved is stated to to be aboard into 2014 for Series 8 as a companion. Having left both Clara and The Doctor inside the Doctor’s own timeline at the end of Series 7 finale and meeting the speculated “lost” or rather rejected Time War regeneration of The Doctor’s played by John Hurt, we are now left all summer to wonder if the 50th Anniversary, Christmas Special, and impending regeneration into Twelve are repercussions of the Doctor having dived in his own timeline and what happens when or if he is able to pull Clara and himself out safely. Similarly will mysterious other elements of Clara’s life such as (as per Coleman’s insistence) her outfits, the scratched out 23rd birthday, parallels with the Amy penned Summer Falls lead Kate as well as the nature of her mother’s death and death date will ever be addressed or are they to be cast aside as red herrings or dropped plot-points. We shall have to wait and see.
In the meantime, thanks Matt for the ride, now stay in America and marry Karen Gillan as she turns into a supervillain. You’re playing a villain. She’s playing a villain. Just make lots of villainous babies. Shh. It works. It just does.
Max Eber
Staff Writer/The Doctor
max@ihogeek.com
Twitter: @maxlikescomics
NYCC: Funko Takes Manhattan (with Exclusives!)
Original Journey Launches on Steam
Doctor Who: Meet Your New Doctor
Funko Launches Vnyl., A New Toy Line, At SDCC
Here’s the Skinny on the Funko SDCC Pop-Up Shop (UPDATED)
The Run Down of Funko’s SDCC Exclusives! (UPDATED)
Since dear readers Jen and I cover this weekly, I thought I should not do an immediate in depth spoiler-tastic reaction and review for my article this week like as I would usually be compelled to do especially for a series finale.
I will gripe though this entire season has been lacking two-parters and as such a lot of the emotional impact and narrative build-up that had been so strong in the past two seasons during two parters is very much missing. Even the best of episodes this season have suffered from being crammed into one episode. This finale was no different and while impactful (in a HUGE way) it is a whole lot less epic than it could have been with the even more intricacies and revisits to what I guess are now red herrings that could have been allotted if they had allowed this to breathe across two episodes. And, as I stated in our response for last week’s episode this week’s finale was five minutes shorter than “The Pandorica Opens” and “The Big Bang”. You can fit a lot in 5 minutes. Overall while pretty good, this episode without a doubt could have been much more effective and much more compelling as a two-parter and better for it. Hello Silence? Where are you? You don’t want the Doctor to go to Trenzalore. Also the “fall” of the Eleventh has come to be in a VERY different manner than expected. Additionally, I will say, a lot of my speculation for the plot and what would occur was correct. Were attentive viewers in the same boat?
I really don’t know why I put up with this television show.
Also, there may be a further mystery when it comes to Clara than we thought. Or so it may seem if going by a single line that seems to suggest there is something else there. The tone of the delivery was more than suggestive. Otherwise, this episode wasn’t without its emotional punches. AT ALL.
Nevertheless, dear readers, I give you my no-spoilers (sweetie) overview of the episode for those who have yet to watch it in the convenient form of a knock-knock joke:
“Knock Knock”
“Who’s there?” (Oh god let me die this pun is too much)
“HERE HAVE SOME EMOTIONS”
“No really I didn’t want that, no, please tell me who’s actually there?”
” I HEARD YOU LIKE BEING UPSET”
“No, no please just tell me who is there, what is your name.”
” I’M BREAKING THOUGH THE WINDOW!”
” NO STOP I WILL OPEN THE DAMN DOOR – WAIT, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU”
” DOESN’T MATTER HERE HAVE SOME TEARS I HEARD YOU ENJOY THEM SO MUCH”
” I REALLY DON’T WANT THESE JUST TELL ME WHO YOU ARE THERE BEHIND THE DOOR”
” FINE I’LL JUST BREAK DOWN THE DOOR ON TOP OF YOU WITH EMOTION”
” WAIT NO I STILL DON’T KNOW WHO IS THERE WHAT IS YOUR NA-“
“EVERYTHING YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW WAS A LIE”
*Is crushed by a door*
Max Eber
Staff Writer/The Doctor
max@ihogeek.com
Twitter: @maxlikescomics
Aquaman is the Embodiment of “Fine”
REVIEW | The Punisher Season 2
Sub Cultured Heads to PAX South 2019!
REVIEW | The Batman Who Laughs – #1
Sub Cultured is Heading to DakuCon 2018!
Jen: Welcome to week two of Jen and Max wait until Thursday to review Doctor Who! At this rate, I’m going to consider it more of a refresher before the new episode than a breaking news review.
This week, we’re dealing with a “Cold War”.
Max: More like wet ass submarine war, that must have been obnoxious to film.
J: Word. Both Jenna and Matt have gone on the record saying it was exactly that.
M: Plus, Matt’s coat is wool I think. Wet. Wool. No. One. Wants. Wet. Wool. Anyway, in terms of review I thought it was fair.
J: Well it was written by Mark Gatiss. Compared to some of his other episodes I’d say this one was a slam dunk. I mean I’d actually watch “Cold War” again compared to “Victory of the Daleks”, which I frequently forget even existed.
M: He does seem to like war themes. His episodes have a lot of talking and a lot of war room type affairs, it’s very old fashioned. Even as a watcher of vintage film, war films like that tend to bore me. This thankfully was more interesting as, ya know…the place was sinking. Weird Alien homage in this episode too. Love the Ice Warrior’s suit. it makes them less redundant in regards to Silurians.
J: It’s also been so long since we saw a Silurian that at this point it’s like everything old is new again. Plus that was crazy fanservice for fans of the older series. But for real can we talk about the biggest theme that seems to be emerging this season? Parent/child relationships are ALL up in this season’s grill.
M: The Doctor is full blown Grandfather mode with Clara (thank god). The Susan bomb last episode is not just a coincidence at. all.
I have suspicions, there a few ways this could go but I think it would be neat if Clara ended up being a descendant of his and thus for the 50th it’s back to The Doctor and his (great great great x) granddaughter as the companion.
J: Yes. That’s probably why Clara’s mom was given so much time last week just to be killed off. Maybe she and Susan are related?
M: You’d think the Doctor would have picked up on that if that was the case, we’ll have to see. Clara didn’t get much more development aside from witnessing her first big trauma this episode.
It still doesn’t explain how Clara has multiple lives. For instance (the first Clara) Oswin was inspired by her grandmother who traveled the stars I think, or stories she told. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Doctor was involved in that timeline-ish. Peter Pan-like stuff, passing down the relationship from mother to daughter etc.
J: It looks like some of Clara’s mystery is going to be cleared up next week. And I have good news! My NCT might be waning a little. Now that it’s clear that Clara isn’t going to be the next Amy (or Rory or River or anyone), that she’s going to be a brand new monster in and of herself, I’m warming up to her a little.
M: I know they describe the house as on a moor but that manor for the next episode looks suspiciously like the one in “The Snowmen”. I don’t think that was on a moor, rather a suburb area of London.
J: Really? I say my Traumaitis is clearing up and you don’t react at all?
M: I was writing a thought and you kept going. I am so, so proud and happy for you, you’ve traveled such a long road in your recovery and weeks of therapy. *takes hands*
It’s going to be just fine. GOTHIC GHOST STORIES!
J: I AM SO EXCITED FOR GOTHIC GHOST STORIES
M: I am too. “Cold War” I think thematically could have amped up the chilliness between the Russians and their tensions with America…(and like….everyone……) in the early 80s. So looking forward to seeing something very thematic in “Hide”. Moffat and his writer’s continue the small corridors and spaces theme.
J: Yeah I didn’t get the whole running a drill thing at the beginning; I figured when that happened that they were actually British soldiers learning to defend themselves in case of nuclear attack. I think they made some references to the Cold War and the Americans and even tied it in thematically like the stand-off between the Doctor and Skaldak at the end was very similar to the events of the war.
M: Pretty sure they were actual Russians. Either way, it was a definite filler episode. It looks like from next week on we’re going to be getting the meatier episodes. The Neil Gaiman Cyberman episode is coming up, and we know there’s an episode where Strax, Madame Vastra and Jenny come back/are companions again. Also they mentioned an episode with River meeting Clara and a love triangle but “not in the way you think:” but I’ve heard conflicting reports about River; we know for a fact River in general is not for long post Angels Take Manhattan.
J: No they definitely were actual Russians–as told by the whole “am I speaking Russian?” thing. You know, the Doctor is so much gentler with Clara than he was with anyone else. Even, and perhaps escpecially, with Amy–because SHE was the adult in that relationship versus Doctor/Clara where he seems to be taking the lead more often.
M: I do like this change up, outside of Moffat’s pen Clara is a lot less snappy and more sweet, which I like. Moffat is known for his quippy flirty women so it’s very interesting to see how people are writing Clara but so far two writers have written her as very sincere and–
J: DOE EYED
M: Yes. She’s very much doe eyed and girly. In a good way.
J: I think it’s part of her relationship to the Doctor. I think she’s going to be his descendant in one way or another and it’s smacking us in the face. I actually really liked that she was in a dress for this whole episode. I think she’s like the “taking it back” feminist character where she doesn’t have to be in a suit of armor to be a good role model for girls. Maybe that’s on purpose–maybe they dialed back her sexuality a little to make her seem younger?
M: Possibly. We’ll have to see what happens when Moffat writes her again, or more importantly how Gaiman writes her (NOTE FROM JEN: he will do it perfectly, whatever he does) The way Gaiman writes her will surely be her supposed designated personality or at least confirm what they’re going for. I think they are aiming for girly or more gentle for sure. The other Claras could have easily been just different personalities, both were very flirty though and Moffat wrote her somewhat flirty with the “down boy” and “snog box” comments but that was about it.
J: I want Amy and Rory back.
M: Amy’s book is very important. It’s very much a mirror of the plot concerning the Great Intelligence. They want Clara.
J: and I want like sixteen two hour long episodes of “Pond Life”. We can’t always get what we want.
M: We have to keep an eagle eye out, Amy’s book and (maybe even more books) may be really important to the plot. They wouldn’t have released it as an ebook otherwise. Plot-wise it’s way too much symbolic of the current plot, and Matt I think has gone on the record that either the finale or the 50th something has to do with paintings which was a key feature in Summer Falls.
J: They were indeed. Any final thoughts on Cold War?
M: It was okay. B- from me. I’m excited for next week, the budget I feel is going to pick up and now the episodes are going to be much more meaty. The first four care for the opening for Part 2 have been pretty modest budget and effects wise. So yeah, looking towards a more pronounced mystery.
J: I’d give it an A simply compared to Gatiss’ other efforts so far. This is definitely the best of his recent contributions, plus it made me kinda sorta not hate Clara anymore!
M: That’s always a good thing! CHANGE IS GOOD (no it isn’t).
J: Cue the pictures of Karen and Matt together….slash…all the pictures of Billie and Chris and David and Catherine ever.
M: Matt and Karen should just marry in real life I really don’t know who else would marry the other.
J: BILLIE PIPER FOREVER
M: Apparently she and Matt went on a date in 2006. That’s what those pics of them together were.
J: LEIA SAYS THEY DATED A LOT AND BANGED.
M: SHE JUST WANTS THAT TO HAPPEN THEY DID HIPSTER SHIT (which probably meant the above)
THIS IS WHERE WE SAY…
Max Eber and Jen Schiller
Staff Writers/The Doctor and Amy Pond
Twitter.com/Jenisaur
comealongpondofftoneverland.blogspot.com
REVIEW | The Punisher Season 2
The 15 Best Episodes of Psych
Doctor Who: Meet Your New Doctor
10 Star Trek Episodes to Watch for Agents of Yesterday
REVIEW | Stranger Things
Marco Polo: Pool Based Water Game Now on Netflix
So. Much. Screaming.Right. Now. Okay that’s a lie. I really didn’t scream. Maybe just like the Doctor, there was a bit of licking things (also a lie unless you count spoons). This is short but explosive piece this weekend because if I type too much, it may just degrade into actual screaming and thus readers you would be subjected to LINE AFTER LINE OF CAPS LOCK. That’s another lie, I can control myself (no I can’t). Truthfully I am sort of dead, this is blogging from beyond the grave (also a lie, I just made spiced plum and berry compote and am contemplating having to make an Easter cake for it).
Case study of all the excitement:
This Saturday was, to put it lightly, a sweet double whammy for Who fans. Double team. Oh god now it’s getting dirty. To put it simply, not only has the Doctor come back with Clara now officially in tow in a solid new episode, but they did it wonderfully and the Doctor’s back….more ways than one too! Spoilers ahead (sweetie).
Vroom Vroom
The Bells of Saint John was pretty fantastic with many, many new plot threads and mysteries that have sparked lots of attention and speculation. Loving nuggets of affection and possibly more in regards to the now deceased but presumably well known children’s author Amelia Williams, the mysterious shopgirl who gave Clara the Doctor’s number (River are you causing problems?). Clara’s puntastic sandwich layer name “Os-win”. Her missing ages. What’s with the number twenty-three? Curiouser and curiouser. Above all it was nice to see a relatively less sad Doctor, acting boyish and enthralled and taking charge while not delving into the dark sad place that the Ponds unfortunately sent him. The new energy is very much appreciated. Jenna is pretty solid as Clara, who dared to try to keep her cup of tea upright as they attempted to land a plane and that my friends is enough to like her (for me). The Doctor’s doting on her while setting up her recovery bed after being downloaded and then put back into her body was rather sweet. There are LOTS of questions. UNIT? Oh god. Moffat what are you doing?
In all the episode was rather well done, it felt a bit more old school, a bit less fairytale than Moffat’s usual tendencies but there is still the Moffat touch with the personification of Amy’s book heroine in her vintage dress and his tendency to I dunno, be able to create or revisit things that are so utterly terrifying you pretty much want to cry. Family show? Moffat you really want to scare kids. Spoonheads. That is ALL. While the episode was good it does have it’s faults, it was touted as a big James Bond action adventure and while certainly it reveled in that entire genre it wasn’t quite as swanky and smashing as I thought it would be but I love big stylization so I’m rather picky. The next episode screams of Lucasfilm-style Star Wars and Indiana Jones meets Classic Who (and has a gorgeous red color palette) type storyline and aesthetic and for the first time more or less in Eleven’s run we are I think exploring a new (or revisted) alien race and civilization, something Moffat very much cut down on; we’ve seen aliens but haven’t been really immersed in a culture as we have in the past under his direction. And as a lover of Indiana Jones and child-centric episodes, I am about to punch a hole in reality just to get to it sooner. (Oh god that wasn’t funny. I’m not very funny today – I really do need to make a cake.)
So yes. Great job Who crew and Moffat, the series is steering in an interesting direction, I’m intrigued to see where this and Clara goes.
AND NOW the second part that made Jen scream and myself smile; simply, this:
Billie. Billay. Billllllllllie Pipah.
Aw yeah here they come
your faves could never
The return of David Tennant and Billie Piper are officially confirmed for the 50th Anniversary Who Special. In an official statement announced prior to the series 7 part 2 premiere the BBC finally, after months of speculation, confirmed their involvement as co-stars to Matt and Jenna in the special (alongside many more I reckon):
David Tennant and Billie Piper will join current Doctor and companion, Matt Smith and Jenna-Louise Coleman, while John Hurt (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Alien, Harry Potter) will also co-star.
Yes, now both Billie and David’s awful and unconvincing attempts at lying can be exposed as…well unconvincing attempts at lying. Rose Tyler and I’m going to assume Ten-Two will be featured! Whether their involvement will be a meaty supporting role or more of a cameo, it’s in the air, I’d like to think it’s somewhere in between. Let’s cross our fingers shall we?
In the meantime I really need to find baking powder if I’m going to make this cake….
Happy Easter (if you celebrate!)
Max Eber
Staff Writer/The Doctor
max@ihogeek.com
Twitter: @maxlikescomics
REVIEW | The Punisher Season 2
The 15 Best Episodes of Psych
Doctor Who: Meet Your New Doctor
10 Star Trek Episodes to Watch for Agents of Yesterday
REVIEW | Stranger Things
Marco Polo: Pool Based Water Game Now on Netflix
So Jen and I are working on a joint paper and presentation for the ICFA (International Conference For The Fantastic In The Arts) coming up this March. We are exploring the similarities between Steven Moffat’s Doctor Who tenure as head writer and the relationship between the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond resembling that of Peter Pan and Wendy from Peter Pan. Amy is the ultimate audience avatar; the adult that got to “fly away to Neverland” with her childhood imaginary friend and subject of make-believe, and it is that key element of their relationship that we believe helped contribute to the show’s explosion of popularity globally, especially in America. We talk a lot about fairy tales and fantasy in our paper, specifically because Moffat’s writing style overall seems to be dabble in fairytale elements (Series 5 was explicitly intended to be a “dark fairytale”) where you’d normally expect original sci-fi conventions. Peter Pan is set in the designated genre of fantasy but is so inexplicably related to technology and progress (the assumed realm of sci-fi) due to it relying and have always relied on the advent of electricity (specifically for the portrayal of Tinkerbell). Steven Moffat is doing the opposite with Doctor Who, inverting that relationship. Moffat has been taking a purely sci-fi show and has been bending it into the realm of fairy tales and the mythological or mixes them to the point of being inseparable. His stories are intimate, there are no hanging out at space cantinas and much less emphasis on casual life or the world’s around them. Instead we are given very hyper-focused stories often cloaked with pagan and mythological elements with character driven stories essentially giving sci-fi a fantasy skin.
Oh no don’t cry
Moffat started the fantasy bending all the way back in ‘The Girl In The Fireplace’. Reinette is our first prototype Wendy in our paper, in that she, like Amy, meets the Doctor as a child. Reinette, however, like all of us inexplicably grows up and then never gets the chance to go fly away with The Doctor or “Peter” of her childhood, leaving her (like us) standing at the window.
Okay now you can cry.
It wasn’t until Series 5 with the introduction of Eleven that the Peter Pan parallelism Moffat introduces in ‘The Girl In The Fireplace’ came into full fruition with Moffat’s choices concerning Eleven’s new puckish, youthful but also extremely petulant personality and the introduction of Amy Pond who becomes the “Wendy” that gets a second chance even after growing up.
If people would like to follow Jen and I’s ruminations, progress with our paper and occasional shouting matches as we get closer and closer to the conference, you can follow our project blog here
Please enter the url to a YouTube video.
Here also for your viewing pleasure this weekend is a clip of the Darling children learning to fly and going off to Neverland from the 1924 silent adaptation of Peter Pan with Betty Bronson as Peter and Mary Brian as Wendy. It continued the pantomime tradition of Peter being played by a woman. Being made in 1924, only 20 years after first performance of Peter, the synergy of stage and the new(ish) rising potential of film and film effects just oozes from this clip through the use of the special effects. Yes, now crude by our standards, but check out that Tinkerbell at 4:08! That’s pretty darn cool isn’t it? Legend of Zelda anyone?
Aquaman is the Embodiment of “Fine”
REVIEW | The Punisher Season 2
Sub Cultured Heads to PAX South 2019!
REVIEW | The Batman Who Laughs – #1
