Doctor Who Series 5 - A Bloody Good Show

I apologize for the potential gravedigging, but a recent post on GameFAQs might interest you guys. There's an enemy called the Trauminator in the game Dragon Quest IX that has a...rather familiar way of speaking...

Bzzzt... Dzzz... Must-trauminate...
All-extraneous-life-forms-must-be-
exterminated... Processing...

Mortals...extraneous...
Celestria...extraneous...
Celestrians...extraneous...

Bzzzt... Extraneous-life-form-detected...
Trauminator... TRAU-MIN-ATE!"

...and to top things off, the strat guide says this thing's been around since the dawn of time. Boy...I didn't realize Daleks invaded the land of DQ...

It's nice to see that DW is worming its way deep into the national consciousness again. I once read a quote from somewhere that said 'Doctor Who was brought back not because a few people liked it a lot, but a lot of people liked it a little'. So this is very good for the long-term health of the programme. *inexplicably missing thumbs-up smily*

I was disappointed.

It was pretty, and would have been good as an ordinary episode, but it just wasn't special enoug for a Christmas episode IMO.

I enjoyed it; it didn't make any fucking sense though.

There was something about the shark sleigh that made me feel very happy inside.

Oh, but teen!Azhram was hot

Seule wrote:

It was pretty, and would have been good as an ordinary episode, but it just wasn't special enoug for a Christmas episode IMO.

I dunno, the story wouldn't have worked without the A Christmas Carol theme, and I really don't think that would have worked in any other episode.

Is it just me or do Rory and Amy have some strange ideas for role-playing, "The Centurion and the Policewoman"? Kinky.

There was one thing in the episode that I just didn't get at all though. Mid-episode when he looks back at the picture and it's a picture of Abigail, rather older than she could have ever possibly aged to. So what, because she hadn't revealed her illness to them yet it didn't exist and her survival was a possibility?

Sky Shark = Best Who monster ever, nothing on earth can top that. ever.

Knight wrote:

So what, because she hadn't revealed her illness to them yet it didn't exist and her survival was a possibility?

Yes. It's based off Azhram's memories, remember? At that point, he didn't know that she was ill.

I liked it a lot actually. Yes, the woman's disease was a total plot device and they didn't even bother explaining it, but I half-expected the Doctor to show up at the end and go OH I CAN CURE THAT and then everything would be happy forever. So at least that didn't happen. It had some neat ideas to it and the stupidly silly ideas just somehow managed to hit just the right level where you could tell they were stupid and silly but they still worked. For me, anyway. It wasn't perfect, but I enjoyed the hell out of it... even though I can tell already it probably won't stand up to a second viewing.

But anything is better than last year's special.

It also sets up a potentially disturbing episode in future about messing with people's memories via time travel. Make it happen.

I'm with ZoZo. No, it didn't really make any sense, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The Shark Sleigh was made of win, and I loved the look of the world they created.

Quote :

It also sets up a potentially disturbing episode in future about messing with people's memories via time travel. Make it happen.

Actually, in the past, the Doctor HAS messed with people's memories-usually to make them forget that they'd met him. He completely wiped Donna's memory of her time as his companion because of the metacrisis that resulted in his clone, and the message was pretty clear that, were she ever to regain her memory, it would most likely drive her mad, if not out and out kill her.

Of course, this comes from a man whose meant other versions of himself numerous times and nothing bad happened, but maybe it's different for Time Lords. Or maybe they're just making up the rules as they go along.

Rabid Badger wrote:

Quote :

It also sets up a potentially disturbing episode in future about messing with people's memories via time travel. Make it happen.

Actually, in the past, the Doctor HAS messed with people's memories-usually to make them forget that they'd met him. He completely wiped Donna's memory of her time as his companion because of the metacrisis that resulted in his clone, and the message was pretty clear that, were she ever to regain her memory, it would most likely drive her mad, if not out and out kill her.

Of course, this comes from a man whose meant other versions of himself numerous times and nothing bad happened, but maybe it's different for Time Lords. Or maybe they're just making up the rules as they go along.

Yeah, I know about Donna and all that (and the same thing happened to Jamie forever and a half ago, though it was to punish the Doctor instead of saving his life), but I mean it'd be neat to see something where he does something horrible to someone's memories (someone who is with him at the time) by messing around in the past (maybe with them there) and doesn't realise it's happening until it's too late. Plus, they never really explored the implications of what they did to Donna. It's not a big deal and I don't expect to see it happen, I was just musing.

It was...solid. Did like the bit with the sky shark in the bedroom, and how the easy solution the Doctor was trying for got borked because he tried for it.

And Michael Gambon really gnawed on the scenery, playing the miser to the hilt. Loved him here.

As far as episodes go, I agree that this one was relatively ho-hum. However, as far as "monsters" go (which I use in a very loose sense here, since marine-wildlife is hardly monstrous), sky-swimming fish is one of the loveliest and most beautifully whimsical ideas I've seen in a long time. Those little fish swimming around the street lamp were so very pretty. So...yeah. I want sky fish.

I heard a rumour that Moffat left the original script work on a train and had to write a new one really quickly, which accounts for all the whimsical fuckery and 'MARILYN?! GET YER COAT!' and etc. I thought it was very predictable by about half way through in terms of the

Spoiler:

.

Also:
Season six promo anyone? Nazis, the oval office, stetson hats and even more RIVER CUNTING SONG.
Srsly guys, am I the only one that hates her and dreads the unavoidable reappearance of her massive smug face?

Fitchsticks wrote:

Season six promo anyone? Nazis, the oval office, stetson hats and even more RIVER CUNTING SONG.
Srsly guys, am I the only one that hates her and dreads the unavoidable reappearance of her massive smug face?

I don't get why people hate her. I find her amusing. I like that there's someone out there in all of space and time capable of giving the Doctor the runaround.

Azzandra wrote:

Fitchsticks wrote:

Season six promo anyone? Nazis, the oval office, stetson hats and even more RIVER CUNTING SONG.
Srsly guys, am I the only one that hates her and dreads the unavoidable reappearance of her massive smug face?

I don't get why people hate her. I find her amusing. I like that there's someone out there in all of space and time capable of giving the Doctor the runaround.

I don't object to the concept, just the execution of it. Plus now that the Doctor has got a lot younger and Matt Smith is pretty boyish/childish in his portrayal anyway it's got a bit cradle snatchy at some points.

Fitchsticks wrote:

Srsly guys, am I the only one that hates her and dreads the unavoidable reappearance of her massive smug face?

Nope. Although I don't mind her too much, myself.

Fitchsticks wrote:

Azzandra wrote:

Fitchsticks wrote:

Season six promo anyone? Nazis, the oval office, stetson hats and even more RIVER CUNTING SONG.
Srsly guys, am I the only one that hates her and dreads the unavoidable reappearance of her massive smug face?

I don't get why people hate her. I find her amusing. I like that there's someone out there in all of space and time capable of giving the Doctor the runaround.

I don't object to the concept, just the execution of it. Plus now that the Doctor has got a lot younger and Matt Smith is pretty boyish/childish in his portrayal anyway it's got a bit cradle snatchy at some points.

Dude, he's like nine hundred years older than her. If there's a cradle being snatched, it's not the Doctor's.

Azzandra wrote:

Fitchsticks wrote:

Azzandra wrote:

Fitchsticks wrote:

Season six promo anyone? Nazis, the oval office, stetson hats and even more RIVER CUNTING SONG.
Srsly guys, am I the only one that hates her and dreads the unavoidable reappearance of her massive smug face?

I don't get why people hate her. I find her amusing. I like that there's someone out there in all of space and time capable of giving the Doctor the runaround.

I don't object to the concept, just the execution of it. Plus now that the Doctor has got a lot younger and Matt Smith is pretty boyish/childish in his portrayal anyway it's got a bit cradle snatchy at some points.

Dude, he's like nine hundred years older than her. If there's a cradle being snatched, it's not the Doctor's.

This. Yes, he's pretty and he frequently acts childish, but the man's a Time Lord for chrissakes.

And he isn't the first of the incarnations to act childish. Patrick Troughton was very good at playing the wide-eyed, childish potential victim. It's a good way to get your enemies to underestimate you, and made it all the more fun when he turned the table on them.

Azzandra wrote:

Fitchsticks wrote:

Azzandra wrote:

Fitchsticks wrote:

Season six promo anyone? Nazis, the oval office, stetson hats and even more RIVER CUNTING SONG.
Srsly guys, am I the only one that hates her and dreads the unavoidable reappearance of her massive smug face?

I don't get why people hate her. I find her amusing. I like that there's someone out there in all of space and time capable of giving the Doctor the runaround.

I don't object to the concept, just the execution of it. Plus now that the Doctor has got a lot younger and Matt Smith is pretty boyish/childish in his portrayal anyway it's got a bit cradle snatchy at some points.

Dude, he's like nine hundred years older than her. If there's a cradle being snatched, it's not the Doctor's.

Actually, I don't think we know how old River Song is. It's even hinted that she might be a time lord, when she uses language like "we" to refer to time-lord-only things. I can pull up references if needed, but she said a bunch of vague stuff in both the library episodes and the weeping angels episodes.

Also, I really like River. :< I totally favour companions who aren't damsels in distress.

Fitchsticks wrote:

I heard a rumour that Moffat left the original script work on a train and had to write a new one really quickly, which accounts for all the whimsical fuckery and 'MARILYN?! GET YER COAT!' and etc. I thought it was very predictable by about half way through in terms of the

Spoiler:

.

Also:
Season six promo anyone? Nazis, the oval office, stetson hats and even more RIVER CUNTING SONG.
Srsly guys, am I the only one that hates her and dreads the unavoidable reappearance of her massive smug face?

I wouldn't say that I really hate River, but I don't really like her either. She blew up the Doctor's fez, and that just ain't cool.

Dr. Professor Science wrote:

I liked it a lot actually. Yes, the woman's disease was a total plot device and they didn't even bother explaining it, but I half-expected the Doctor to show up at the end and go OH I CAN CURE THAT and then everything would be happy forever. So at least that didn't happen. It had some neat ideas to it and the stupidly silly ideas just somehow managed to hit just the right level where you could tell they were stupid and silly but they still worked. For me, anyway. It wasn't perfect, but I enjoyed the hell out of it... even though I can tell already it probably won't stand up to a second viewing.

But anything is better than last year's special.

It also sets up a potentially disturbing episode in future about messing with people's memories via time travel. Make it happen.

I was rather expecting him to not cure it himself, but to go back (or forward) or to a place where they could cure it. It was kind of a downer ending, because yeah, it ended on a happy note, but you know the next day she's dead. Also, LOL at being able to predict exactly how many days someone has left.

I really enjoyed it, just because there wasn't that much Amy in it.

Quote :

I really enjoyed it, just because there wasn't that much Amy in it.

Yes, the lack of Amy was the best part of TCC.

I'm just not feeling the Smith love. He's too hipsterish for my tastes, and he and Rory are too much alike in age and appearence. Amy's choice was between a pair of pale, dull, nerdy guys - she could have flipped a coin.

I don't hate him, and I think he's a lot better when Amy's not around, but I'm already looking forward to 12.