#i stopped watching somewhere in the whittaker seasons

[daddysropepuppy]

not to be a nerd on my horny blog but the new doctor who special felt like a warm hug to all the trans fans

[turtlecat1440]

This might seem out of nowhere, but I want to talk about how much I'm enjoying the new episodes of Doctor Who. But first I have to make a pitstop about how much I dislike the prior three seasons.

For context, I've been watching Doctor Who for about a decade, give or take, I can't actually remember. There have been episodes I loved and stuck with me, and there have been episodes that were forgettable. Both are fine, because the show had a habit of making it's way to something pretty enjoyable eventually. Every season has a few bangers I return to when it pops into my head.

That is, except for the seasons where Chris Chibnall showran. At first I was excited, I wanted to see a new actor's take on the Doctor, and having them be a woman could subvert gender norms and a way I'm not sure has been done before. I'm sure it has somewhere, but I'm not researching for a post I'm making while lounging on my couch.

I don't want to make a broad statement that everything is caused by one person, that would probably be untrue. I went back and looked at what episodes Chibnall had written before he showran, and there were some decent ones. Not many I loved in particular, but that's fine. I also say this as to not lay blame on Jodie Whittaker, or any other specific actors, there were some moments of great acting that fell flat because of the sum of the shows parts.

When I start to notice a show has gotten worse, I first notice without any particular reason. But then I start to look for what changed. The biggest tell, and this is true for many other shows that have fallen off, is the camera work. If suddenly all the shots are bland, shot, reverse-shot, repeat, someone's gotten lazy.

Doctor who also lost so much of its creativity. The solution to the problems in the "Chibnall Era" were always confusing, and relied heavily on an obfuscation of hand-wavy "magic not magic." Rather than giving the viewer the pieces to a puzzle, and then have the Doctor to solve it because they're so clever, writers instead hide the solution, and let the doctor reveal it to us in a monologue. I left almost every episode confused and unsatisfied. I also began drinking with friends while watching because it was so bad.

I have a lot more to say about these three seasons, but I want to get into why I've been enjoying this recent season.

The David Tenant/Catherine Tate specials were an odd change of pace, and were cohesive in their conclusions. There were some odd choices I'm not going to get into, but I love these actors together so much, all sins are forgiven. But the important part is the thesis: the Doctor has been running from their problems for centuries, and needs time to heal emotionally. By outliving the pain of loss, the Doctor has been subduing emotional change, and only returns to old patterns of behavior.

Then the new season actually addresses this thesis. And it has to be said, the Doctor falling in love with Rogue (who is most definitely not a stand in for Captain Jack, we swear) is pretty rad. I loved it, glad it happened. But the Doctor's loss of Rogue, and their immediate movement into carrying on without addressing the pain of loss, only to be held back by Ruby was even better. The Doctor should stop for a few moments and process their pain, not continually avoid it.

Susan's reintroduction could add to this as well, the Doctor's guilt of absence may be addressed. The new themes that are being explored; guilt, loss, and a deliberate and intentional address and change of patterns of behavior is great. Although I might just think this because of my own life experiences.

Also, Ncuti Gatwa has been an incredible actor so far. I also think he's really cute, but that definitely doesn't affect the way I view the show, I am unbiased, as we all know is truly possible. I also can't get over how great is is that the Doctor and Ruby keep changing their outfits for different eras and locations. This is one of my favorite parts, keep giving me more.

[whittakerjodie]

From Another Universe ( 13th Doctor X Reader )

Prompt:  Could you do an imagine with the 13th doctor where the reader is transported into their universe and the reader meets the gang but they see like a necklace or earrings of something (that symbolizes doctor who like a pendent of the TARDIS) and the doctor pulls them away from the group and asks then what the reader knows (basically everything from the 9th doctor till now) and promises to keep it private from the others and so on. (Sorry it's kinda long and possibly confusing 😅 KISSES!) requested by @dannighost​

A/N Hope you enjoy! 

Words: 1.5k

   You didn’t know how long it’d been since you’d found yourself in this dimension/parallel world. You also had no idea how to get back to your world. The first days were spent mainly running around, freaking out as you tried to find out where you were. It appeared to be Earth as you knew it, but all attempts to contact your family and friends wouldn't go through, even when you tried other phones. That's when you knew something was seriously wrong. 

   You tried to think of a plan and chose to acquire a library card so you could have easy access to wifi and search tools. You scoured through the Wikipedia pages of every major event i history you could think of to see if anything was different. Researching in the library was a beacon of hope, but it sadly fell flat. You had no way of actually going about an attempt to get back to your universe beyond knowing that you needed to. 

    Today was another ‘research’ day, but truthfully you weren’t trying anymore. It was all you could do, though. You had no identity in this universe. You couldn’t get a job, a house, anything; the library was all that you had. You scrolled mindlessly on the computer, reading up on yet another small difference in world history. Suddenly, you heard a large crash from outside. It was the result of some unseen but extreme force and it caused everything in the library to shake. The lights flickered as you tried to stabilize yourself, heart leaping out of your chest. What. the. Hell. was. That? 

   You shakily rose from your computer seat, cautiously making your way towards the window to see what had caused the crash. 

   Your heart, which was racing all to fast for you to handle, suddenly came to a brief stop. Outside, in the gardens in front of the library, there was a large group of Cybermen. You blinked several times, trying to convince yourself that you weren’t actually seeing what you were. There’s no way, you thought. No way at all. Doctor who was fake. A TV show- nothing more. So what was one of the main villains doing landing in front of the library? You reached up and wrapped your fingers around the TARDIS necklace that you’d been wearing every since you arrived in this strange new world. 

   Was this what had happened? Had you somehow been transported into  your favorite TV show? Your head was racing, and the fact that you could see Jodie whittak- the Doctor off in the distance didn’t exactly help calm you down. You heard shouting in the library hallway.

The door to the computer lab burst open and Yaz and Ryan, two of the current companions, entered. You stared blankly at them, frozen in place as your brain tried to process even more information being thrown at you after days and days of boring research. 

“Hi! Sorry, we have to use one of these really quick, do you mind?” Yaz asked. The normalcy of the question barely helped to ground you. Ryan didn’t wait for an answer, closing out all your tabs and starting a new one. When you nodded stiffly, Yaz raised a brow. “You alright, miss?” 

   You instinctively shook your head, panic and confusion overriding any control you had over function or thought. She stepped closer, concern evident. Her eyes scanned your shaking form, stopping when they reached the TARDIS necklace. 

“What is that?” She exclaimed. She took another step forward and grasped it, turning it over in her hand. Her exclamation had caught the attention of Ryan, who stopped whatever he was doing on the computer to look at your necklace. 

“But that's the TARDIS” He said blankly. You snatched the necklace back. Him and Yaz both looked equally confused as you- even matching your panic. “How do you know about that? Who are you?” 

“Back off!” You yelled. Both him and Yaz looked taken aback and you felt a slight bit of shame. I can’t believe I yelled at some of my favorite fictional characters, you thought. I can’t believe I CAN yell at some of my favorite fictional characters. 

“Listen… I have absolutely no idea what's going on. All I know is that You’re Yaz and Ryan, the Doctor is somewhere out there, and there's goddamn cybermen and I already knew I’m not where I’m meant to be and all your doing is making me way more panicked.“ 

They both shared a look, but Ryan shrugged as if this wasn’t the weirdest thing they’d encountered. 

“Yeah, Sorry about that. We should probably get the Doctor” Yaz said. 

___________

   You sneaked past the cybermen with the two of them, answering the multitude of questions they had for you. You explained to them that you’d woken up in this new place, and you were trying to get back home when they showed up. 

“So if you’re from a different world, how do you know us then?” Ryan asked. “Are we all friends or something?” 

“Not exactly” you chuckled nervously. You still weren’t sure how to go about explaining that they were TV show characters. Might have to come up with a way fast, you thought. You were approaching the iconic blue box, anticipation building inside of you. Yaz moved to open the door but you stopped her. When she gave you a look you shrunk a little. 

“Sorry it's just- I’ve always wanted to go in the TARDIS. Do you mind if I go first?” 

   Yaz shook her head, and you practically felt the anticipation spilling out of your pores. Years and years of being a Doctor Who fan, and here you were about to enter THE TARDIS. Not a fake one erected at a comic con or a thrift store- the real deal, and you were opening the door. 

   Nothing could compare to the feeling of stepping inside. You didn’t even notice the Doctor at the console at first. You were too busy taking in the walls, the floors and the lights. The whole atmosphere was hitting you like a semi truck. It almost brought you to tears. It did bring you to tears, and they were now flowing down your cheeks. 

“Who’s this, then?” You perked up at the accent and your eyes shot to the timelord. You were mostly passed the shock of being in her universe, and it was replaced with relief. She was a hero, if anyone could get you home (or at the very least help you out in some way) it was her. You wiped your tears away.

   Yaz showed off your necklace and explained to the Doctor how they’d run into you and your predicament. The Doctor took her turn of staring at the necklace. She outlined your form with her sonic screwdriver to confirm the story. After a few moments, she asked you to step aside.

“Alright” She said softly. “It certainly seems like you’re not from here… if you don’t mind me asking, how much exactly do you know?”

You felt a spark of joy at the ability to overshare; something familiar to any fan of anything ever. You laughed. “Well, where do I start?” 

___________

   It had been nearly half an hour. The Doctor was silent as you rambled on and on (and on, and on, and on) staring at you in an almost horrified awe as you perfectly described every event of the past 11 seasons of Doctor Who. “And THEN they totally killed River Song off which was just cruel after Clara's exit and- Oh! I forgot to talk about the silence in the library episodes didn’t I. How did I forget-” 

“Okay, I think now's a good time to stop.” You clamped your mouth shut as the Doctor cleared her throat awkwardly. “Clearly, you know quite a bit” 

   You nodded sheepishly. “I promise I’m not a spy or a villain or anything. There's no good way to say this I suppose- you guys are all characters in a show I watch, so that's how I know.” 

“So your earth has a TV show about me? That’s nice” She smiled, lost in thought for a fraction of  moment. “You can’t tell anyone, though. Certainly not Yaz or Ryan. As far as they know, you’re just a person stuck here from another universe. We can say you travel with me there.” 

“I won’t tell them anything” You promised. “Being here with you guys is crazy enough” 

   Even though it was nice to be surrounded by your favorite characters, you did feel a bit of sadness creep up behind you. You still needed to leave them and go home. The Doctor seemed to know exactly what you were thinking and jumped towards the TARDIS console. 

“Right then, awkwardness aside, I will get you home, Y/N”

“But Doctor,” Yaz perked up from far across the room. Her and Ryan had been busy playing cards during your rambling. “What about the cybermen?”

   The Doctor, who had seemed hellbent on making good on her promise right then and there, froze in disappointment. You almost laughed at how much she looked like a sad puppy. She met your amused gaze and smiled, brightening up again. 

“Care to help us with a quick adventure before we take you home, Y/N?” 

You didn’t even know why she bothered asking.

[aion-rsa]

Doctor Who: Why Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Needs an ‘Everybody Lives!’ Moment

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Doctor Who! The children’s own show that adults adore.

Doctor Who, as a format, requires an intrinsic joyfulness in its stories to be so adored. If adventures become too continually grim, or not sufficiently fun, then ultimately there’ll be a tipping point where it becomes implausible for the story to continue. Why, ultimately, would the character keep travelling if they weren’t enjoying it? And even if they did, would this be something that would sustain a family audience?

It’s not that you can’t have darkness in Doctor Who, it’s just that it can’t be sustained and eventually something has to give. As such, there’s an inherent optimism in a lot of Doctor Who, even in episodes where it isn’t high in the mix. For the show to make sense, there has to be some hope that wrongs can be righted.

For example: even though William Hartnell’s Doctor starts off trying break his own programme by getting rid of Ian and Barbara as quickly as possible, the show quickly settles into “a great spirit of adventure”; the Second Doctor comforting a grieving Victoria by pointing out that “nobody else in the universe can do what we’re doing” followed by the Doctor letting Victoria leave the TARDIS because it’s the best thing for her. In both cases, the gesture is one of compassion. The Fourth Doctor refers to Sarah Jane Smith as his best friend and she only leaves because he has to go somewhere she can’t (His home planet of Gallifrey, something that on original broadcast had more dramatic weight as he’d only visited it once before in the series and then been forced into regeneration and exile).

When Russell T. Davies relaunched the show in 2005, the unspoken idea became explicit. “Can I just say: travelling with you…I love it,” says Rose Tyler, who – despite portentous trailer statements – survived her travels. In episodes of The Sarah Jane Adventures Russell T. Davies expanded on the Tenth Doctor’s victory lap in ‘The End of Time‘ to make it more celebratory, giving past companions happy endings (some in stark contrast to their grim fates in Nineties’ spin-off media). The departures of Rose and Donna are tragic, but the journeys to get there are framed in terms of joy and excitement.

The next showrunner, Steven Moffat, preferred happy endings. Companions had previously been married off (Susan, Vicki, Jo, Leela, Peri) as they left the show. Amy Pond got married and stayed, travelling with her husband. This was a leap forward, but unfortunately the following series’ pregnancy storyline was handled poorly and attempts to deal with its repercussions were not successful either. Clara, the next companion, dared to be like the Doctor but unlike Donna managed to both die and have a happy ending.

Moffat enjoyed Immortal LGBT+ Women Having Adventures in Space so much that he used it again for Bill Potts in Series 10. An important aspect of both characters’ storylines is that they suffer a terrible fate, but the version of Doctor Who in which companions die is rejected in favour of one where they get what they live happily ever after. Moffat, a comedy writer to his core, was unwilling to make Doctor Who a story where travelling on the TARDIS left you in a worse place. Davies also tried to give his companions happy endings of sorts to ameliorate their loss.

If we look at the populist peaks of the show, Doctor Who has never been overwhelmingly cynical. Whenever it’s been taken in a darker direction it usually rejects that approach in favour of a lighter balance. In Season 21 the show put its characters through a series of almost unrelenting grimness (‘The Awakening’, the story where a demonic entity attempts to get an entire village to slaughter each other is the light and fluffy one) culminating in the Fifth Doctor’s heroic regeneration story ‘The Caves of Androzani’– voted the best Doctor Who story in several polls – where the Doctor goes to extreme lengths to save his companion and distances himself from the violence that surrounds him.

And then in the next story ‘The Twin Dilemma’, the Sixth Doctor strangles his companion.

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Taking ‘Grimdark’ storytelling to mean stories in which violence and misery is perpetuated throughout the story universe in a seemingly never-ending cycle, that period in the show’s history is a perfect example of it. Why diminish one of the finest stories ever by immediately negating the heroism involved? Why would you have the main character reject the violence that he’d become a part of only to immediately embrace it again? Among the many problems it means we have a Doctor/companion relationship that seems grim at best. Why would you keep travelling with someone who strangled you, refused to apologise and then continually harangues and shouts at you? I don’t watch Doctor Who to see the companion trapped in an abusive relationship. I also don’t think it’s a coincidence that the ratings went down as the production team systematically removed as much hope from the show as possible, ridding it of that great spirit of adventure. After ‘The Twin Dilemma’,the show was put on hiatus, and ultimately cancelled.   

Which brings me to the current version of the show.

I don’t think Jodie Whittaker is miscast or that the current version of the show is woke nonsense – which is a relief because I think using the phrase ‘woke nonsense’ unironically is quite the red flag. I think that the enthusiasm Jodie Whittaker has for the part hasn’t been used well, because we currently have a Doctor who is great at showing unabashed joy travelling the universe, but whose stories lean towards grimdark and don’t give her anything approaching ‘Everybody lives!’

One of the most lauded episodes in Series 11 is ‘Rosa’, which was co-written by Malorie Blackman and showrunner Chris Chibnall. In it, the TARDIS crew see Rosa Parks in the run-up to her being arrested for violating segregation laws, and need to stop Krasko – a mass murderer from the future – interfering in this event and stopping it from happening.

The inclusion of Krasko makes an interesting and depressing point in this story, and I’d be fascinated to know the villain’s development in the writing process. For what we have here is a story about an important act of defiance that changed human history, and is celebrated for its impact, alongside an acknowledgement that there will still be racists in the future. In fact, there will be racists who murder 2,000 people in the future. Racism and its associated violence is not, the episode says, going to go away.

In isolation this might seem like optimism tempered with caution, but since Chris Chibnall became showrunner, edgy, provocative ideas have crept in and given stories a cynical edge. Small moments have a cumulative effect, such as Epzo’s story about his mother in ‘The Ghost Monument’, Robertson surviving ‘Arachnids in the UK’ without learning any moral lessons and indeed likely to cause more suffering, ‘Kerblam!’ ending with the system that blew up an innocent woman being allowed to continue (while closing the warehouse for four weeks and offering employees two weeks’ holiday pay), Daniel Barton escaping freely in ‘Spyfall’ while the Doctor wipes the memories of someone doomed to die, ‘Orphan 55’ shows us the unavoidable destruction of the human race, as does ‘Ascension of the Cybermen’. Under Moffat, we had some episodes ending with cynical quips that left a bad taste in the mouth, but under Chibnall the bad taste is there before the outro quip.

Series 11 showed us a joyful Doctor in a nasty universe, and the latter regularly overwhelms the former, but at least ended with Graham and Ryan clearly rejecting murder as a solution. Series 12 was less focussed on real-world evils, and uses them on the fringes of its storytelling (with the Doctor now seemingly embroiled in the universe’s cynicism, using Nazis to imprison a Master now played by a British Indian actor), but we’re still getting real issues reflected back at us along with the message that the Doctorcannot sort this, which is based on the false assumption that this is what Doctor Who is for.

I hope that this is building towards a reversal, that the Thirteenth Doctor gets her Androzani moment where she gets to take a stand against everything that she’s seen. However, we have now had a fully grimdark finale as the lasting impression of Doctor Who for nine months. ‘The Timeless Children’ has proven controversial for its approach to continuity; as well as the retcon of the Doctor’s history this was a ‘Twin Dilemma’(also the last story in its season) to ‘The Day of the Doctor’s Androzani. The heroism is now nullified. When we watch ‘The Day of the Doctor’and the day is saved at the end of the story, now we know all the Doctor has done is defer those deaths (those two billion children’s deaths) and the cycle of violence will continue. At the end of ‘The Timeless Children’the following is presented to us as the good guys winning:

The heroine cannot bring herself to destroy the animated corpses of her entire species, so Joe from Derry Girls has to do it for her. An entire planet now a lifeless husk. The main character’s centuries of trauma are revealed. Their best friend is now a genocidal maniac.

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This is Doctor Who in 2020: violent, cynical, cyclical. A mirror when it should be a window. If Series 13 repeats these trends then I fear history may repeat itself once more. But then, what is Doctor Who mostly about if not seeing a cycle of oppression and then breaking it?

The post Doctor Who: Why Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Needs an ‘Everybody Lives!’ Moment appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[artistformerlyknown]

i was super kindly sent questions in response to an ask i sent to @lequeenofmoondoor!!! thank you so much! these questions are from the fandom ask set that’s... somewhere further down down on my blog!

f: what’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom?

okay so if we just include fandoms with sources i’m still invested in, it’d probably be the whoniverse! i got introduced properly to torchwood first and then doctor who in like 2016/2017 from an old friend of mine and i still love doctor who today! i also watched my first mcu movie when it was in cinemas (civil war, which was a very strange one to start on but i got invited by my cousin) and watched x-men first class and days of future past with my aunties at about the same time but i didn’t really get INVESTED in marvel beyond casual viewing of those movies until after infinity war

g: do you remember your first otp? if so, who was in it?

the first otp i had was PROBABLY johnlock or possibly cherik! i also really liked mystrade at the time and even though i don’t interact with sherlock or the x-men movies anymore they’ll still hold really important places in my heart forever probably

h: what is your favorite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., tv shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc)?

this is a hard one!! i would probably have to go TV shows if i had to pick because i like the development you can get with characters through TV shows that sometimes i feel like you can’t get through movies because of the limited run time. i do also love movies and comics, though, especially if they tie into a fandom i already love!

z: just ramble about something fandom related, go, go, go!

oh you shouldn’t get me rambling because i will NOT stop /j this is fandom-y so i guess i’ll talk about it here: i’m really upset about the rumours of jodie whittaker leaving after the next season :( i love what she brings to the doctor and i WISH deeply that she got some better writing and an opportunity to really shine and show all facets of her take on the doctor because she is an amazing actress and i love what we’ve got so much! she got done so dirty by a lot of the recent writing and i hope she isn’t always remembered as a bad DOCTOR because of some very hamfisted writing

thank you so much again!!

[timeagainreviews]

Vengence on Gallifrey

Welcome back, friends. We’re meeting up sooner than we usually do! I could get used to the idea of a new episode every Wednesday and Sunday. Wouldn’t that be swanky? In the time since part one of "Spyfall," there has been a lot of speculation and theories about what would be in store for part two. How many of your fan predictions came true? I know a couple of mine did. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Before part two aired, I revisited part one. I was curious to review O’s storyline in light of the big reveal. Would I notice any nods or giveaways to his being the Master a second time around? The answer is basically, no. Other than the Master’s reaction of "ridiculous," to the inside of the TARDIS, there’s not much telegraphing to be had. I did, however, notice some things that seem head-slappingly stupid upon a second viewing.

My pal Steve compared the episode to "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," in that it moves so fast that you don’t have enough time to realise how stupid it actually is. One of those things I noticed the second time around was the big glass box in the middle of O’s home. My mind had kind of glazed over by that point that I never questioned how stupid it was that he would have a spring-loaded glass box in his ceiling. Now, I’m only human, but the Doctor isn’t. Why didn’t that seem weird to her that he would have a trap hanging from the ceiling? It made me think of Troll 2 when the dad walks over and grabs a fire extinguisher conveniently propped against the house. Why was it there? Because the plot demanded it.

Despite this, there is one thing I feel deserves saying. As much as I liked "Kerblam!" "The Witchfinders," or "It Takes You Away," I haven’t watched any of them since they first aired. I haven’t watched any of season 11 since my initial viewing. Regardless of any plotholes I found, I wanted to rewatch Spyfall. And I think that goes to show that despite various failings on Chris Chibnall’s behalf, he’s got me watching the show again! What then is different?

My first response would be that the stakes are higher this time around. A lot of that has to do with the fact that the Master is back. Regardless of how overused he may or may not be in the new series, their relationship has gravity. As an agent of chaos, the Master ups the tension as we have a history with him. Like with the Dalek in "Resolution," he lends a familiar element that this new era deeply needed. In these past few days, I was truly worried about how our friends were going to get out of this mess. I haven’t felt that way about Doctor Who in a long time.

When we last saw our heroes, the Doctor had been transported to the brain realm and the companions were about to crash on a plane. Through a bit of time travel, the Doctor saves the day via phone app, thus continuing the trend of the Doctor messing with Ryan’s phone. At least the dude got to keep his data this time. I found the whole sequence with the Doctor making plaques and laminating belaboured the point a bit, but it was cute.

We learn that the Doctor is walking around in some sort of synaptic realm. She meets Ada Lovelace who seems to think it's her own mind, but that was her best guess. I would complain that it was a weird design if it was a mind, but then I remember "The Invisible Enemy," and realise how much worse it could have looked! According to Ada, she’s been visiting this place since she was a wee bairn. She seems rather cool about the whole thing but is perplexed to see the Doctor.

The two flash into Ada’s timeline of 1834, where the Doctor has found herself at a steampunk convention. I found some of the steam-powered devices like the grenade to be a bit moronic. It was so unbelievable that my initial reaction was that she was in some sort of alternate history. But no, it’s just goofy. The Master discovers the Doctor survived and goes to finish the job. Before the episode, I was thinking "I hope they show the inside of his TARDIS." Turns out they already had. I guess it’s the same size on the inside. I had kind of expected it to be like Clara and Me’s TARDIS in that the diner was just part of the facade with the real bit hidden away. But no, his console is right there in the main room. Weird. Also, remember when chameleon circuits used to make TARDISes look inconspicuous? The biggest thing we ever saw it do was when the Master’s TARDIS became a truck. The coolest camouflage still goes to my man Professor Chronotis’ TARDIS in Shada. It was just a door along a wall. How cool is that? Not complaining, merely lamenting the loss of simplicity.

From within the Master’s TARDIS we see Barton confront the Master. The conversation between these two really only serves to show Barton as alive, and establish the power structure which is that the Master is in charge, which we already knew. It also establishes the existence of a sculpture that looks like something a third-year art student might have half-assed while hungover. Barton goes to intercept the companions, while the Master takes care of the Doctor. He makes a grand entrance with his tissue compression device doling out murder without reason. Did anyone else wonder why the device seemed not only to shrink people but also to turn them stiff like plastic or wood? I suppose compacting material like that could increase rigidity, but it was an odd choice.

To get the Master to stop killing people, the Doctor placates his ego by getting on her knees and calling him Master. It was, for lack of a better word- hot. Ada shoots the Master with a steam-powered gun and they get away. This was more of Chibnall’s weird relationship with guns. The Doctor says to Ada that she doesn’t approve, but the second Ada uses a grenade the Doctor is like "Hell yeah, this is my bad bitch Ada! Represent!" It’s like in "The Ghost Monument," when she hated the use of guns against a group of emotionless robots and then used a bomb to take out the same group of emotionless robots. It’s almost as though it’s not the killing the Doctor hates, it’s the inefficiency of the whole thing. "Mate, use bombs, way more effective!" Okay, Chris.

In the last five minutes of part one, I wasn’t sure if Sacha Dhawan was going to be a good Master or not. I was worried he was going to be too flamboyant, but the second he hits the screen in part two, it’s as though he had always been in the role. I really love him and Jodie Whittaker’s chemistry. It’s great to see her Doctor faced with someone truly evil, and I feel as though it’s given her a lot to work with. Watching the two of them verbally spar is nothing short of delightful.

Barton comes up empty-handed in his search for the companions, which is no sweat off his back as he is Mr Tech Empire. After a little bit of finagling with the internet, their faces are soon posted everywhere as wanted criminals. Exactly like in "The Sound of Drums," they’re going to have to go off the grid. They even take refuge in a construction site! Doing so gives them a bit of downtime to talk and regroup. In a moment of clarity, it dons on them that they don’t really know the Doctor all that well. They decide that after all is said and done, they’re going to have a talk with the Doctor. Like many people, I was hoping that they would visit this concept, as series eleven made them seem a little too keen. It was a welcome bit of character development.

Another thing I love about this scene is that Graham isn’t annoying in it. "But Natalie," you say, "I thought you loved Graham!" And you would be right, I do love Graham. But I feel like it’s worth pointing out that they didn’t ruin him. Usually with a lot of shows and movies, if something is good or popular with fans, the tendency is to overdo it. This is the same lovable dude from the previous series and I feel that should be acknowledged. One of the things I really admire about Chris Chibnall is that he really seems to know his own character’s voices. One of my biggest issues with Clara Oswald is that her personality was all over the board. We don’t get that here.

Having travelled with the Doctor for a while now, the companions decide to carry on like she would have them do. They still have their spy gear and like exploding cufflinks and Graham’s laser shoes, and their timing couldn’t have been more perfect as the baddies from part one show up. Sadly, they’re not the Voord as me and many others had hoped. They’re a species known as the Kasaavin. It’s a name that’s about as inspired as Ranskoor Av Kolos, and that is not a compliment. It’s simply a very forgettable name. I dunno what it is, but I really hate the way Chris Chibnall names stuff. He’s willing to do groan-inducing puns like "Arachnids in the UK," or "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship," but then decides to reign it in with "Resolution," despite the naming convention established in previous Dalek stories like "Revelation of the Daleks," or "Remembrance of the Daleks." Though I suppose in his defence, "Resolution," is about a singular Dalek. Either way, Graham’s laser shoes save the day. It’s ridiculous, but unlike the Master, it is a compliment when I say it.

The Doctor has now regrouped with Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage. After a bit of fangirling on her part, she goes into Doctor brain mode. She pieces together that the multiple maps of the earth are, like I had guessed, different points in time. The aliens are spying on important people throughout time, for some reason that still makes zero sense to me. Why would they care about the Earth’s technology? Wouldn’t their computers completely best our technology? What threat could humans pose to them? I thought their sights were set on taking over the universe, but now it appears their sites are set on one planet’s technology. I guess you’ve got to start somewhere.

The Doctor surmises that the Kasaavin must have difficulty keeping their form in our universe, thus a need for a machine that keeps them stable. This, of course, is the bad art student sculpture we saw in the Master’s TARDIS which has now found its way into Charles Babbage’s study. This must have been too close to the truth as at this moment a Kasaavin shows up. The Doctor uses this as an opportunity to hitch a ride off of the Kasaavin’s energy surge in hopes to end up back in the present day. As she does, Ada grabs her hand and is transported as well. Instead of 2020, they end up in the year 1943 during a Nazi blitz on Paris. Literally, the first person they encounter is another historical figure- Noor Inayat Khan. That’s gotta be some kind of record for the show- three historical figures in one episode.

After establishing that they aren’t Nazis, the Doctor and Ada hide in the safety of Noor’s home. However, it is then that the Master shows up in full Nazi regalia and orders a team of Nazi soldiers to fire into the floor and leaves. I, like many of you, was immediately confused. The Nazis weren’t known to ally themselves with people of the Master’s current complexion. However, we learn that by using a series of perception filters, the Master has disguised himself as white, which makes sense in relation to the show. We discover the Doctor and Ada narrowly averted death as they were, in fact, hiding in the floor.

On the other end of things, Graham, Ryan, and Yaz use being under surveillance to draw Barton’s people into a trap. Using Graham’s laser shoes, they steal a vehicle and head to stop Barton. Speaking of Barton, we’re treated to a deliciously dark scene between him and his mother. It was pretty obvious that the woman strapped to a chair in his bad guy lair had to be his mother, but that didn’t make it any less funny.  This guy is such a piece of work that not even his mother likes him. He tells her that she is to be the first person to be subjected to his grand scheme. After being taken over by blue electricity, she appears to die. What a dick.

Back in Paris, the Doctor realises Noor is a British spy. Using her telegraph, the Doctor baits the Master by tapping out four beats- the heartbeat of a Time Lord. Unable to resist, the Master taps four beats in response to the Doctor. What happened next was one of the coolest things I’ve seen on Doctor Who in a while. The Doctor and the Master make contact telepathically, something of which hasn’t been seen in the show for years. I quite literally threw my hands up into the air with joy. Kudos to Chris Chibnall for giving me the nerd feels.

The Doctor and the Master meet up atop the Eifel Tower where they have a rather intimate conversation. We find out it was the Master who killed C in the previous episode. So yes, they did waste Stephen Fry, which officially makes me a disappoint. The Doctor deduces that the Master isn’t actually in control of the Kasaavin. Instead, the Master has merely allied himself with them, claiming to have given them a broader scope of vision. I’m not exactly sure how going from wanting to take over the universe to taking over a small planet is a broadening in scope, but stop asking questions and watch the show.

Now, remember how I just gave kudos to Chris Chibnall? Well, I am going to have to take those back. In an attempt to delay the Master, the Doctor gives him away to the Nazis. She makes them think he is a British spy and directs them to their location. However, not only does she do this, but she also disables his perception filters. So effectively, the Doctor, a white woman, gives up a brown man to the Nazis. It wasn’t enough to make them think he’s a spy, they had to also see that he had brown skin. I was honestly a bit disgusted by this. How would they even recognise him as the same guy they were told was a spy? They’re going to arrive and find a person of colour in a Nazi uniform and not know who he was. Jesus Christ, Chibnall.

The Doctor uses the Master’s TARDIS to get back to the present time, just in time to find Barton unrolling his big plan. He goes on a long speech about how we give all of our information to corporations and how we should watch who we allow to pry into our privacy. It’s the social media equivalent of "Don’t blink." It’s a very effective bit of writing on par with one of Steven Moffat’s better speeches. It’s a shame it was preceded by the Doctor selling the Master out to Nazis.

So what’s the big plan? Well, remember the spy woman in part one whose DNA had been rewritten? And remember how Barton was only 93% human? It turns out that the Kasaavin plan to rewrite the DNA of the human race and turn us into hard drives by storing information within our DNA. They do so by using our smartphones and tablets against us. In the same arc of blue electricity as Mother Barton, people all over the world begin to be assimilated. During this entire press conference scene, I’m not sure if any of the actors in the audience were given proper direction as they have the most benign faces throughout most of this. Barton, whose speech went from zero to megalomaniacal in the first few seconds, should have sent up red flags across the room, but instead, they were as serene as cows. It was bizarre.

That was it, that was the big plan. Turn people into hard drives. I think? I had to ask a few of my friends what they thought it was supposed to be because I was worried I had missed something. Were they trying to take over the bodies of humans so they could have corporeal form? If so, then why say they wanted to store data in our DNA? Why do they need so much data storage anyway? Have they got a huge stash of hentai in their universe? Were they torrenting all of Doctor Who? Seriously, I do not understand their motivation or their methods. But honestly, I hardly care, because the real star of the show is the Master.

Having waited 77 years, the Master shows up just in time to be kind of late to the show. Like, he didn’t even buy a gun in that time. I do however look forward to the Big Finish audios pertaining to that era of his life. However, in the meantime, the Doctor took it upon herself to put a bug in the Kasaavin’s system which negates their mission and reverses the conversion. She informs the Kasaavin that the Master had planned to double-cross them. As they depart from our universe, they take the Master with them, but not before he mentions to the Doctor that Gallifrey was destroyed.

After getting Ada and Noor to their respective timelines, the Doctor goes to see Gallifrey for herself. Sure enough, the once-great Time Lord society has been raised to the ground. It’s a powerful bit of acting on Jodie Whittaker’s behalf. Devastated, the Doctor returns to the TARDIS only to be greeted by a hologram of the Master telling her it was him that did it, as a sort of act of punishment or vengeance. This is a much needed source of motivation for the Master’s current rage, considering how much of a departure it is from Missy’s redemption arc. Remember the timeless child storyline I’ve been dreading? Well, I’m genuinely surprised to be sitting here today to tell you that it has piqued my interest. Having something to do with the founders of Time Lord society, Rassilon and Omega, the implication is that their legend is based upon a lie, thus the Master’s final warning to the Doctor at the end of part one. 

So who is the timeless child? Well, I am relieved to say I don’t think it’s the Doctor. My wildest guess is that she was some sort of person that didn’t experience time like the rest of us and was killed to harness that power. Think Rusty Venture powering his dream machine with the heart of an orphan. Like I said, my wildest guess. The biggest takeaway from all of this is that I’m sitting here speculating about Doctor Who. With Moffat’s plotlines oftentimes leading nowhere interesting, I had grown wary of speculation. Why wonder what was next when it was most likely something disappointing? It’s nice to feel intrigued by Doctor Who again.

Upon returning to her fam, the Doctor is distant and quiet. The companions can tell something is up, but as they decided earlier, they needed to have a talk with the Doctor. The Doctor concedes and tells them the basics- she’s a Time Lord, she’s from Gallifrey, she can regenerate her body, the Master was her friend. This bit of truth on her behalf seems to please the trio as they don’t press the issue further. The Doctor throws the TARDIS into gear and we’re left lingering on her face for a moment before the episode ends.

Afterwards, my wife and boyfriend and I sat in silence. As the biggest Whovian in the house, I think they were waiting for my reaction. And in some ways, I think I was too. I really enjoyed the episode, I did. But I had my issues, which I’ve listed extensively above. My main qualms at that time were of structure. Much like the first episode, this one was clunky. The pacing was definitely better than last time, but still had issues. But otherwise, I needed to think about what I had just seen. I liked the anti-fascism angle, save for the Doctor selling out the Master to the Nazis. And there were a lot of great callbacks to classic Who. My wife had checked out at the DNA storage bit because she’s a giant nerd and was feeling nitpicky about the science in a science fiction show. But it was Duncan whose comments I think were the most on point. He told me that he, as a casual viewer, was lost throughout much of the episode. For him, a little bit of explanation peppered throughout the episode would have gone a long way.

One of the most persistent flaws in classic Doctor Who is that oftentimes they would explain what was happening within the final episode of a story, leaving you in the dark for the first few episodes. In the same way, Spyfall had left him feeling lost. I even said it recently that I am not the kind of fan Doctor Who needs to please. I will watch the show regardless of its quality. If someone as fanatical as myself was feeling confused, imagine how my boyfriend felt. It is, as he said, why people start tuning out. The show is on course to what may possibly be one of it’s best seasons in years. I’m hoping that the next few episodes give us a bit of breathing room before throwing us back into the deep end.

[as-was-written]

1ST  RULE   —   tag some muses you would like to know better. 2ND  RULE   —   BOLD the statements that are true for your muse.

muse.  The Thirteenth Doctor fc. Jodie Whittaker

occupation. Traveller, saviour, former high president of Gallifrey age.  She has no idea, somewhere between three thousand and several billions years sexuality.  Non binary, panromantic, demisexual pronouns.  She/her

APPEARANCE:

i  am  5'7"  or  taller.

i  wear  glasses.

i  have  at  least  one  tattoo.

i  have  at  least  one  piercing.

i  have  blonde  hair.

i  have  brown  eyes.

i  have  short  hair.

my  abs  are  at  least  somewhat  defined.

i  have  or  have  had  braces.  (assuming these are teeth braces)

PERSONALITY:

i  love  meeting  new  people.

people  tell  me  that  i’m  funny.

helping  others  with  their  problems  is  a  big  priority  for  me.

i  enjoy  physical  challenges.

i  enjoy  mental  challenges.

i’m  playfully  rude  with  people  i  know  well.

i  started  saying  something  ironically  &  now  i  can’t  stop  saying  it.

there  is  something  i  would  change  about  my  personality.

ABILITY:

i can sing well.

i  can  play  an  instrument.

i  can  do  over  30  push–ups  without  stopping.

i’m  a  fast  runner.

i  can  draw  well.

i  have  a  good  memory.

i’m  good  at  doing  math  in  my  head.

i  can  hold  my  breath  underwater  for  over  a  minute.

i  have  beaten  at  least  2  people  in  arm  wrestling.

i  know  how  to  cook  at  least  3  meals  from  scratch. (she knows how to. she just can’t do it well)

i  know  how  to  throw  a  proper  punch.

HOBBIES:

i  enjoy  playing  sports.

i’m  on  a  sports  team  at  my  school  or  somewhere  else.

i’m  in  an  orchestra  or  choir  at  my  school  or  somewhere  else.

i  have  learned  a  new  song  in  the  past  week.

i  work  out  at  least  once  a  week.

i’ve  gone  for  runs  at  least  once  a  week. (usually for her life)

i  have  drawn  something  in  the  past  month.

i  enjoy  writing.

i  do  or  have  done  martial  arts.

EXPERIENCES:

i  have  had  my  first  kiss.

i  have  had  alcohol.

i  have  scored  the  winning  goal  in  a  sports  game.

i  have  watched  an  entire  season  of  a  tv  show  in  one  sitting.

i  have  been  at  an  overnight  event.

i  have  been  in  a  taxi.

i  have  been  in  the  hospital  or  er  in  the  past  year.

i  have  beaten  a  video  game  in  one  day.

i  have  visited  another  country.

i  have  been  to  one  of  my  favourite  band’s  concerts.

RELATIONSHIPS:

i’m  in  a  relationship  (in some verses)

i  have  a  crush  on  a  celebrity.

i  have  a  crush  on  someone  i  know.

i  have  been  in  at  least  3  relationships.

i  have  never  been  in  a  relationship.

i  have  asked  someone  out  or admitted  my  feelings  to  them.

i  get  crushes  easily.

i  have  had  a  crush  on  someone  for  over  a  year.

i  have  been  in  a  relationship  for  at  least  a  year.

i  have  had  feelings  for  a  friend.

MY LIFE:

i  have  at  least  one  person  i  consider  a  “ best  friend ”.

i  live  close  to  my  school.

my  parents  are  still  together. (they were when they died)

i  have /  had at  least  one  sibling.

i  live  in  the  united  states.

there  is  snow  right  now  where  i  live.

i  have  hung  out  with  a  friend  in  the  past  month.

i  have  a  smartphone.

i  have  at  least  15  cd’s.

i  share  my  room  with  someone.

RANDOM SHIT:

i  have  break–danced.

i  know  a  person  named  jamie.

i  have  had  a  teacher  with  a  last  name  that’s  hard  to  pronounce.

i  have  dyed  my  hair.

i’m  listening  to  one  song  on  repeat  right  now.

i  have  punched  someone  in  the  past  week.

i  know  someone  who  has  gone  to  jail.

i  have  broken  a  bone.

i  have  eaten  a  waffle  today.

i  know  what  i  want  to  do  with  my  life.

i  speak  at  least  2  languages.

Tagged by: @ineffableduality

Tagging: anyone!

[oodlyenough]

hi! so, given what you've seen so far, would you recommend getting back into doctor who? am asking as someone who peaced out emotionally after let's kill hitler, and stopped watching for good after capaldi's first season. there was once a time when i really loved - LOVED - the show, but it also morphed into something that i started to hate - HATE - after a while. should i even bother anymore, what would you say?

I’m actually an episode behind still (haven’t seen the one that aired last weekend), so I am maybe not the best judge. Or maybe I am? I watched for a long time -- finally dropped out somewhere during Capaldi’s last season -- but emotionally I checked out after the 50th was everything I never wanted. So far, I’ve liked Thirteen, and the new series feels *different* from the Moffat era... but it had yet to really click with me? Like, not bad, but not really grabbing me either. I really liked the episode “Rosa”, about Rosa Parks, and I’ve heard good things about the most recent ep in terms of being more of a domestic, family drama style episode like RTD used to do. Haven’t watched it so I can’t confirm.

I guess it depends what it was you loved and then what it was that you hated? I was just kind of overall sick of Steven Moffat’s schtick, and Chris Chibnall is a different style of showrunner and the show does feel different, so that’s nice. IMO there are too many main characters and they’re not balancing them well enough, feels like they bit off more than they could chew, but they’re all likable enough. Jodie Whittaker is fun as hell to watch and very good.

[rochellespen]

Watching Doctor Who Season 37 (Series 11), Episode Four

Ok, I’m going to have to say it: Doctor Who has a checkered past in regards to spiders.

I mean, I understand the temptation to go with arachnid-like monsters. Spiders often creep people out, so giant, mutant spiders should have an even greater horror vibe to them. Unfortunately, it seems arachnids of all sorts never fare well when appearing in Doctor Who. 

Thus we have comically stiff spiders with goofy voices in Planet of the Spiders. We have genuinely threatening, but also drama-queen diva spiders in the meh  The Runaway Bride. And then you have  what could have been truly creepy spider-like creatures in Kill the Moon which were wasted by being featured in a dire episode like Kill the Moon.

So when I saw the title of this one, I had to resist the temptation to roll my eyes. And not just because we got another music pun/reference in an episode title (first Bowie and now the Sex Pistols...). I figured we could be in for some very first class cheese with this one.

All that said, I decided to give Arachnids in the UK a go with as open of a mind as possible.

As usual, spoilers from here onward....

Episode Thoughts

This episode went back to the season opener’s structure of having things happen that appear unrelated at first, but quickly fit together into a main plotline well before the episode ends. It’s a smart technique as it can help to cover any thinness to the plot. 

We start with Robertson, a guy who is suspiciously similar to another hotel-owning, multi-millionaire businessman with a crass, harsh personality who decided to run for president. Seriously, not since The Happiness Patrol have we been given such a painfully obvious reference to a real-life political figure on Doctor Who.

 And wait, is that Chris Noth? Why yes, yes it is. That’s something I seriously did not expect and it’s fun to see him in this. XD

Anyway, Citizen Robertson here rants about a possible threat to his political future and fires a random employee for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. This actually turns out to be not so random later on....

(Side note: They do name drop Trump later in the episode with Robertson mentioning that he can’t stand the guy. I guess that’s one way to deflect the obvious....XD)

Meanwhile, the Doctor actually manages to get her companions back to their correct time and place and soon appears to regret her efficiency. Fortunately for her, Yasmin is up for inviting everyone to tea which everyone immediately accepts.

After wonderfully awkward moments with Yasmin’s family and some poignant moments alone with Graham, we finally get to the spiders. Well sort of. We just get one spider to start out with, but there was plenty of foreshadowing before that to let us know that it won’t just be one spider.

Soon, the plot ties together when we realize that it was Yasmin’s mother who got fired and a neighbor of Yasmin’s family has a friend/co-worker/? who is a specialist in regards to spiders and who is worried that she hasn’t shown up for a few days. This eventually leads to a showdown in the lavish, recently finished hotel between humans and arachnids. 

Some more quick side notes....

The hotel they chose for the principal location is a good one. It has the right Overlook Hotel vibe to it which is perfect to accentuate the horror in this episode.

Ok, having Yasmin’s mom be the one who got fired by Robertson is a solid way to tie the plot together. Having an arachnid expert be friends with someone who lived in the same building as Yasmin’s family and having her show up just as the Doctor starts to investigate teeters dangerously toward deus ex machina territory.

But on a much funnier note, did anyone else notice someone (Ryan, I think?) making shadow puppets in the background while the Doctor and McIntyre were talking about Serious Spider Stuff in McIntyre’s lab? That’s the sort of offhand detail that I just love...

Now, back to the rest of the episode...

As can be expected with someone like Robertson, all of his employees are taken out by the spiders leaving the Doctor, her companions, Yasmin’s mom, Naija, and our new friend, Dr. McIntyre to find out that there’s is both abandoned coal mines underneath the hotel (which is niffty for the spiders to get around) and a toxic landfill that was very poorly managed.

Ok, at this point I need to stop to consider something that’s bothering me about the plot. 

I think we can all agree that Robertson is a terrible person and was horribly negligent in allowing the landfill to combine stuff willy nilly. But if we’re going to assign blame for the mutant spiders, shouldn’t some of it be placed on McIntyre and her lab? These scientist are manipulating spider DNA and apparently not being careful enough in making sure the specimens are dead before disposal. Even if Robertson didn’t have an unusually toxic landfill mutating these spiders further, those half-dead “super spiders” could have wrecked havoc on local ecosystems. Thus, I hardly think McIntyre should be acting like she’s on some sort of moral high ground compared to Robertson.

In the end, it’s decided that it’s more humane(?) to suffocate/starve all the baby spiders in Robertson’s panic room and drive the huge mother spider out of the hotel...to where, I don’t know. However, Robertson clearly wanted a chance to kill something and thus, shoots the giant spider before it can asphyxiate. 

This leads to another little issue I have. The Doctor and McIntyre were just going to watch that giant spider slowly suffocate and die. Robertson shot it once and put it out of its misery quickly. I guess I’m at a loss as to how Robertson’s solution in and of itself is crueler than a slow death. 

And the thing is, I think the writers missed an opportunity here. Having Robertson clearly show no remorse for what he did was chilling enough. But I think we could have added an even more sinister edge to his character if it was made clear that his decision to shoot the spider would be considered merciful and correct by many and that it wasn’t a black and white decision. 

That way, the horrifying aspect of his character would not have been what he did but instead the mindset and motives of why he did it. Few things are more evil that someone who hides their malevolence under the guise of good intentions. 

After that painfully abrupt ending, the Doctor prepares to leave and discovers, much to her surprise and delight, that Graham, Ryan and Yasmin aren’t ready to say goodbye to her and traveling through time and space. 

So did Arachnids in the UK avoid the usual trap of tacky spider themed episodes? Well.....

The thing is, there are several things this episode did right. The number one was a wonderful mix of humor and lowkey scares. We get moments like Ryan and Graham’s two man comedy act leading up to a terribly creepy shot of several giant spiders skittering toward them. The atmosphere of the hotel and some well placed jump scares are balanced by the hilarious sight of mutant spiders gravitating a energetic grime tune (actually listened to it again while writing this, and it really set the mood). 

The problem for me has to be the easy out the plot took. I get wanting to keep this an Earth-bound problem (and making an eco-statement). But the separating of the so-called “good guys” and “bad guys” wasn’t neatly done and the ending felt far too much like the writers couldn’t think of a good solution in the time they had left. 

Thus, this episode works far better as a showcase for humor, atmosphere and characterization than it does as a carefully plotted story.

Character Thoughts

So how about that characterization then?

Two things were well defined in this episode. 

The Doctor is going to continue to be socially awkward, high-energy goofball.

This Doctor is not one who wants to brood by themselves somewhere even for a few moments. She clearly is one of those Doctor who vastly prefers to travel with companions.

Continuing in the tradition of each Doctor often being a “reaction” to the previous one, Thirteen is certainly far less prickly and much more openly social than Twelve. She seems to thrive on the “family” environment a crowded TARDIS creates. The only Doctor I can compare that to is probably Five who also seemed very invested in traveling with a group although there is far, far more harmony on Thirteen’s TARDIS than there ever was on Five’s. 

Myself, I’m enjoying a return to the idea of the Doctor being warmer and more familial as I never thought being difficult and prickly were necessary solely to create a sense of “otherness” about the Doctor. Whittaker still manages this with Thirteen’s scattershot, quirky approach to experiencing new places, people and events.

A lot of the humor in this episode was pulled off nicely by Whittaker whether it’s the cringing moments of awkward around Yasmin’s family or her sudden thought that The Spider Mother in the Ballroom could be “the best novel Edith Wharton never wrote.” 

Meanwhile, Ryan and Graham also have some wonderful bits together as they (very reluctantly) keep having to go out on spider-related missions in the hotel. The two of them continue to be a fun team who are slowly trying to figure out this family “thing” they have been thrust into.

Funnily enough, while on the surface this could look like an episode that would focus more on Yasmin since we are spending time with her family....it really doesn’t. The most we get is some insight as to why she wants to travel with the Doctor: because she loves her family, but clearly doesn’t always get along with them that great. I think this is another opportunity the writers missed as we could have gotten a bit more insight into how her family played a role in the person she became. Instead, their presence seems to mainly service the plot (Naija) or try to add to the humor (the rest of her family). 

The Last Word

I’m afraid Doctor Who may never have a completely solid episode featuring spiders....even with this effort. This is episode is a fun ride most of the time with some great moments of humor and characterization, so it manages to not be truly cringe-y. However, it would have been nice if the writers had put more thought into how to end the main plotline and found more interesting ways to develop Yasmin’s family and by extension Yasmin herself.

[doctorwhonews]

Doctor Who Magazine 528

Latest from the news site: The next issue of Doctor Who Magazine is due in the shops on Thursday 26th July, and features an exclusive interview with new lead writer Chris Chibnall and the preparations that took place to reveal Jodie Whittaker as the new Doctor to the world last year. Recalling his anxiety: In my mind I’m thinking: are we really doing this? A secret shoot, with only nine people involved? Will this work? Can we reveal the new Doctor this way? Are the BBC really going to put it out during the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final? Is it crazy? Will people even watch or notice? (Turns out, the answer to all those questions is yes). Somewhere on a train, Jodie Whittaker is making her way towards us, having told people she’s off to make a low budget Scandinavian film this weekend. Recce done, we hole up in a hotel. Some of us are checked in under fake names, I can’t work out whether that’s for security, or because we’re all enjoying the cloak and dagger. When I go to check in, I forget my fake name. I’m not very good at this. The hotel is quiet. Great. As we walk across reception we notice lots of champagne glasses. The staff explain: preparations for the massive wedding reception that’s going to be happening tonight. Right. Uh-oh. To get to the car tomorrow, Jodie will have to walk through this big reception, where the hungover wedding guests will be checking out in the morning. How do we get the new Doctor from her room to the car park, in the costume she’s wearing for the shoot, without anyone spotting? We’re just going to have to style it out. Sunday morning. Jo Pearce (Social and Digital genius) has gone out early, done a dry run driving from the hotel to the location checking the route. And she comes back alarmed: there’s a Velothon on the route! Some of the roads are closed! Her brilliantly planned shortest possible route from hotel to location won’t work. What’s more, the car will be passing hundreds of cyclists. What if we have to stop at traffic lights? What if somebody looks in and sees the new Doctor? Hopefully Velothon cyclists will have other things to think about. We manage to smuggle the new Doctor into the back of Jo’s car. Hood up in the back, like she’s cosplaying The Matrix, sandwiched between two others. The week rolls towards the Wimbledon final. Calls are made. Who needs to know the identity of the new Doctor before the rest of the world? Most importantly, Peter Capaldi. We set a time, I call him… The full story revealing more details about the secrecy that went on, how the shoot happened and who else received those all-important calls is in the new issue. Other highlights include: * A visit to the archive of Doctor Who writer and script editor Douglas Adams * Peter Purves answers questions from the TARDIS tin * The untold story of Sky Ray ice lollies and Doctor Who, with images of rare 1960s memorabilia * Behind the scenes on IDW’s distinctive range of American Doctor Who comics * Graphic designer Lee Binding reveals what went into the packaging for the Season 12 Blu-ray box set * The Time Team tackles three of Doctor Who’s most controversial episodes * The Fact of Fiction explores the 2017 story Empress of Mars * Seventh Doctor cosplay with Jamie Lenman * Part Five of The Clockwise War, a new comic strip adventure featuring the Doctor and Bill * Previews, audio reviews, news, The Blogs of Doom, prize-winning competitions and much more! As reported last week, subscribers to the magazine will receive an exclusive 'clear' cover version of the magazine. Related Articles: Clear covers for DWM Subscribers (20 Jul 2018) Doctor Who News http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2018/07/DWM528-240718073008.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[imforeman]

Twice Upon a Time

I just watched Dr Who. Thought it was rlly lovely.

I’m setting aside the terrible characterisation of Hartnell. That was an insult and gut wrenching and gross he did have like 2 sweet moments but overall gross. I kinda have to set it aside cause that was just unbearable and just so far removed from the truth that I’ve kinda not even acknowledged it happened.

Setting that aside tho I thought it was rlly lovely.

The Positives

Mark FREAKIN Gatiss. Always perfect and a rlly lovely and heartwarming character with a wonderful storyline.

PETER CAPALDI. an icon. Beautiful. Honestly the most beautiful face and hair of any human just incredible and warm and dramatic and absolutely and utterly aghhhhh. And his acting. As always. FLAWLESS. Utterly beautiful and the love of my life tbh. (As is to be expected)

RACHEL TALALY (<3 <3) just absolutely stunning. Honestly some of her best work I cannot explain how incredible a job she did and she needs to return she is INCREDIBLE. I dunno what else to say other than wow.

All three of these things combined made the episode so emotionally involving and it was so thematically strong for the most part and just a beautiful piece of work.

Nardole and Clara and that whole scene was v nice and sweet even if not perfect. Glad we got to see their faces again.

And of course I cannot move on without mentioning the 13/10 Jodie Whittaker who even in her first moments proved to be so exciting and incredible and endearing (helped along by talaly Ofc who did a particularly fabby job here). I just cannot wait for her to smash it. (SO relieved tho moffat didn’t try and make something of the female Doctor thought he’d make a thing of it to try and take the credit but he didn’t and I’m so glad he did the right thing and treated it like any other regeneration.)

The Negatives

the soldier should’ve just bn a normal guy rather than a lethbridge-Stewart cause not everything has to be a callback and it would have had a heartwarming simplicity to it. Don’t feel like the callback added anything despite my love for The Brig.

Not sure what appeal the episode would have to kids or general audiences since it was just one long character piece with nothing else to it. He said it himself. No evil plot to stop. Which is a nice subversion but if I was a kid I’d imagine I’d be a bit bored by so many long conversations espesh if I was rlly young.

they should’ve taken out rusty and went somewhere else cause I hate rusty and wanted to forget abt him and don’t feel like it added anything to the episode thematically.

Capaldi’s final lines weren’t particularly special or inspired I feel and could’ve been said by any of them which is a little sad tbqh. Nothing special or memorable. Feel like they could have ended it with the line “one more regeneration won’t kill anyone, except me” (or words to those effect Icr the quote) cause his speech was rambling and while it had some nice bits it didn’t rlly go anywhere. Feel like ending it there would have bn more fitting for his era but perhaps a bit harrowing so I understand why they didn’t. But the speech should’ve bn shortened and focused at least.

The alien was okay thematically it worked (side thought: death and afterlife have been very prominent in Capaldi!Who). It could have perhaps been a little more memorable and involving cause it all came to pretty much nothing. I understand they were secondary to the doc’s arch and that’s fine just get the feeling even the show didn’t know what they were or what exactly they wanted to do with them. So they were a little lacking but not what I’d focus on anyway.

Also the special effects were bad but I wasn’t bothered at all it was endearing so not rlly a negative. (:

No ‘Coming Soon’ :( (i need to see Whittaker!!!!)

So very mixed particularly if you include their betrayal of Hartnell and The Team, but setting Hartnell aside really very beautiful and moving if lacking in some areas and Whittaker was a highlight and everything I hoped for.

Very much looking forward to next season!!!

[yeonchi]

Doctor Who Series 12 Review: Prelude

Well everyone, Doctor Who is back and I’m getting on the train again. That’s right, I’m going to review the twelfth series of Doctor Who, also known as the second series with Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor.

As with last year’s reviews for Series 11, I’ll be posting my thoughts on every episode of Series 12 and rating them on a scale out of 10. I’ve created a new page on my Tumblr with all the links to my past reviews, which you can find here. Without further ado, let’s begin the review series prelude.

A year to mull over

In the past, I had more interest in Doctor Who because I was utilising aspects of it in a personal project of mine. Now that it’s pretty much coming to an end, I could have left the series after Peter Capaldi’s final episode, but I decided to give Jodie Whittaker a chance and maintain a casual interest in it if only for something to watch.

After mulling it over for a year and rewatching some clips of Series 11, I’ve found that I’ve gotten accustomed to the Thirteenth Doctor, even if her character is basically an expy of the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors. It’s given me quite a bit of time to think about what I would like to see in Series 12, particularly since the writing in Series 11 wasn’t necessarily up to par.

On an unrelated note, I did a review of a decade-old Australian-Spanish-Brazilian children’s cartoon series called Sea Princesses. I’m promoting this because some episodes of that series have an environmental theme to them and there is a rumour that there will be an environmental message somewhere in this series of Doctor Who. You can find it through this link.

Waiting periods

This really doesn’t matter to me now that I’ve downgraded myself to being a casual fan, but I want to complain about how the scheduling for this series has been all over the place since Series 6. If you look on Wikipedia, you can see when each series aired each year. Take the Christmas Specials into account and you’ll have an idea of how long we had to wait between episodes.

In the revived era, series used to go from March or April to June or July, but the split series in Series 6 and 7 were the first signs of the schedule starting to go all over the place. In all honesty, it was exasperating to wait for something related to The Day of the Doctor after Series 7′s finale, particularly given that the first trailer was exclusive to Comic Con.

In the Twelfth Doctor’s era, Series 8 and 9 went from August or September to November or December. There was a gap year in 2016 before Series 10 aired from April to July 2017. After the Thirteenth Doctor’s debut, Series 11 aired from October to December 2018, then 2019 was a gap year before Series 12 premieres from January to March 2020.

This doesn’t go to say that the timing of the classic era seasons weren’t all over the place at some points, but even then, they still managed to maintain regular schedules for as long as they could. I guess back in the days without the Internet, people actually had other things to do or watch without wondering when the next season of Doctor Who would air.

I’ve heard something on some forum somewhere about how Chris Chibnall likes to have a gap year between series like he did with Broadchurch, which might explain the 2019 gap year. But still, fans have waited before and I’m sure they would be happy to wait again. I just hope that the BBC can make their minds up about what time of year that Doctor Who will be on.

Four things I would like to see in Series 12

I would do five, but I couldn’t think of a fifth one.

1. No more misunderstood villains

This was my biggest problem with Series 11 - there were five such episodes where someone would be introduced as an antagonist based on their actions, but they are later revealed not to be because of their actual intentions that are sometimes unrelated to whatever problem the Doctor and her team are trying to solve. I probably wouldn’t care as much if there were only one or two misunderstood villains at most, but the fact that there are five of them with four in a row is really telling because the actual villains in those episodes turn out to be humans.

In regards to the “four in a row” thing, I’m counting the Pting as a misunderstood villain because it fed off the energy of the Tsuranga to thrive. It didn’t have any malice toward anyone onboard (except when they were disturbing his meal).

2. More character development for the companions

In Series 11, we saw an arc based on Ryan’s relationship with Graham and his father. Ryan was also mentioned to have dyspraxia while Yaz is a police officer, but those aspects weren’t fully explored in the series. I was hoping for Ryan’s dyspraxia to be mentioned in Resolution, but I guess they forgot about it. Let’s not forget the fact that Yaz has barely had any character development in Series 11 and the question of why the Doctor has such favouritism for her.

3. Explore the Timeless Child (story arcs)

The Timeless Child was something that the Remnants found inside the Doctor’s mind in The Ghost Monument. Along with the Stenza (and how everything was basically their fault), I thought that it would have been explored in the last series, but I guess I was partially mistaken. We don’t have any clue on what the Timeless Child might be, so I’m glad that it hasn’t been forgotten, at least for the time being.

On a side note, I don’t really mind whether the Stenza return or not. You could say that their story was done at the end of the last series, but then again, we only saw one of them, namely Tim Shaw. If we do see or hear about them again, it’ll give me more opportunities to continue the joke about how everything was Tim Shaw’s fault, because I really enjoyed it.

4. Returning monsters

The lack of returning monsters made Series 11 a bit bland. Combined with the lack of story arc and the number of human villains or misunderstood villains, I could argue that the writers didn’t quite know what to do with the new monsters they created.

At this point, we know for certain that the Judoon and Cybermen will be returning in Series 12. We already had the Daleks in Resolution, but that’s considered to be part of Series 11. However, in late October, some fans had snapped some Daleks in filming on Bristol’s Clifton Suspension Bridge. Since a Christmas special was confirmed, it is likely that they could be featuring in that.

Other matters

I won’t be reacting to the trailers for this series; I only did it in Series 11 because I was more concerned with how the series would be given that the first female Doctor was cast.

I’m feeling less concerned about SJW red flags this time around. Maybe it’s because I’m a bit dense or I wasn’t able to find much of them. As for tokusatsu references, I’ve realised that they might not be intentional and that I’m probably the one making these parallels to them. That’s not to say that I won’t be looking out for them, particularly the latter because I quite enjoyed doing it.

I think a lot of my concerns regarding the red flags were because I was following Bowlestrek’s videos during Series 11. I stopped watching his videos one day and gradually, he disappeared from my feed. I’m not saying I ever disagreed with what he said, but I do try to form my own opinions when I can and not be influenced by pessimism. At the same time, I’ve also dropped out from The Oldest Nerd’s reviews. I might try following him again for Series 12 because he does more level-headed reviews like I do (that is if I can even say that for myself). On an unrelated note, Jonathan Pie and Tim Pool are a couple of go-tos for insights on left-wing, right-wing and SJW culture, so never let it be said that I don’t try at the very least.

The first episode premieres on New Year’s Day and subsequent episodes premiere on Sundays. As such, we do get a de-facto New Year’s Special, but not a Christmas Special - the Christmas Special I mentioned earlier is likely to be for Christmas 2020, which is going to be a long way away again with no other specials after Series 12 is done.

Now, there is something I should tell everyone, which is that I’ll be going away for two weeks near the end of January, meaning that the episode reviews for the third, fourth and possibly fifth episodes will be delayed (for reference, the dates are 12, 19 and 26 January). I will probably be able to watch the episodes and possibly take some small notes on them, but I won’t be able to take detailed notes or write out the reviews until I get back to my home computer. I don’t know if I can release all the reviews within the week of 27 January, but I’ll try not to let the backlog snowball.

At the moment, I’m behind on other things, but I think I’ve covered most of what I want to cover without going any further into myth or rumour territory. I’ll see you all after the new year for the review of the first episode of Series 12, Skyfall Part One.