#pacing is shit the Master's powers make no sense gallifrey just

[theskyexists]

What can I say, the RTD Specials were shit.

[ploppythespaceship]

Doctor Who Rewatch - Series 3

Good Things:

I adore Martha. She’s sharp and she’s funny and I just love her a lot.

I also like how Rose hasn’t been forgotten, and the way she hangs over the plot is actually part of the story. It clouds the Doctor and Martha’s relationship, and it’s a major part of why Martha ultimately leaves. It seems to be just the right amount.

There is much less reliance on CG this series and more practical effects and prosthetics. It still looks cheesy, but in a much more charming way.

Gonna say it again like I have for every season - Murray Gold is a musical genius. “This is Gallifrey, Our Childhood, Our Home” is absolutely gorgeous.

I adore John Simm as the Master. He brings a youthful joy to the part, a fresh twist on an old character. Also, the Time War adds an extra dimension to the Doctor and Master’s relationship, as they’re now the only two Time Lords in existence. (The Doctor begging the Master to regenerate so he won’t be alone is heartbreaking.)

Lucy Saxon is one of the most underrated character of the series. She’s barely on screen and she captivates me every time. A few lines here combined with the actress’s interpretation -- so much is left to be implied, and she fascinates me.

Martha’s departure is so well handled. She knows that she’s in an unhealthy situation, whether that’s entirely the Doctor’s fault or not, and she has the maturity to finally leave. Considering how much shit she went through as a companion (stranded in multiple time periods, her family taken captive, etc.), it makes perfect sense and is a touching character moment. Not to mention that so far, she’s the only major companion from the new series to leave the TARDIS on her own terms. Fucking power move.

Best Episodes:

“Human Nature” / “The Family of Blood” - these ones may be my favorites of the whole show. Such an interesting concept and a brilliant execution, and some of Tennant’s best scenes. John Smith’s sacrifice actually breaks your heart.

“Blink” - this honestly might be Steven Moffat’s best work. The story plays to all of his strengths as a writer, with a clever concept and plenty of twists, all structured expertly to string you along at just the right pace. Not to mention the Angels shifting position between shots, involving the audience in a subtle way -- gaaahhhh. And all of this while barely including the Doctor. (That being said, I don’t agree with the masses that it’s the best episode of the show, for the simple reason that while the plot is perfection, there’s very little character  work to speak of.)

Bad Things:

I don’t actually like going back to Martha’s family as much. I appreciate that they exist and that Martha is just as grounded in her home life as Rose was, but they don’t seem nearly as well rounded or interesting as Jackie or Mickey.

Most of the episodes this season don’t stand out as amazing or awful, particularly in the first half. They’re mostly just sort of... fine. 

While Harold Saxon is mentioned plenty of times for the arc to click from beginning to end, I think seeing Saxon in person a few times, or even just on TV or something, would have been awesome.

The finale has a lot of good moments, but a lot of bad ones as well, and it all balances out to just being okay. While I love badass Martha saving the day, I don’t like how the Doctor and Jack are left to do nothing. Nor do I care for the aged Doctor plot -- I think the whole fandom has collectively blocked out shriveled Ten in the bird cage.

Once again, the teaser for the Christmas special ruins the emotional punch of the finale. Just let the episode end naturally ffs.

Worst Episodes:

“Daleks in Manhattan” / “Evolution of the Daleks” - like most RTD era episodes, the one-off characters are fantastic. But the rest of the story is just stupid. The entire thing is out of character for everything we know about the Daleks, and the Human-Dalek hybrid is real bad looking.

[theskyexists]

Ascension of the Cybermen

well that was that was that was....that was...........fine.

Things I loved:

There being a point in history in which humans are at war with the Cybermen and they’re almost wiped out - and the Lone Cyberman going full nazi going crazy glorious empires and such - along with human internment camps and the ‘Cyberman race’. That’s neat.

The Doctor going YEAH I FUCKIN KNOW THAT I FUCKED UP - SHUT UP at her companions when they were like: all our shit got fried

The Doctor going ‘I’ve been SO reckless with you’

The Doctor telling them to go - go - be safe - NO QUESTIONS - GO!!! - absolutely unhinged - and using herself as bait.

The Doctor being so upset about Ryan having stayed behind

The Doctor putting a non-lethal (?) bomb together while she’s like our LAST chance of getting out of this alive

Basically the Doctor being in distress

The Doctor’s rambling about rewiring a warp drive when she was a teenager (’though we didn’t have teenagers’) and people getting mad at her for it but look how it comes in handy now

The Doctor pointing out the human-cyber nonsense paradox of the Lone Cyberman - that point had to be made and it was well made

Yaz and Graham being very Doctor-ish inspiring hope in people and taking over with wack plans (that really shouldn’t have worked) and Yaz’s explicit reflection on how far Graham’s come in adventuring

The Master popping out of the fuckin portal like HELLO! with his floppy shiny hair and violet suit and his wonderful voice (so jarring but it’s the Master so I do love seeing him)

The preview of extremely emotionally horny moments between the Doctor and the Master my god

The side characters were enjoyable

the new cyberman design is quite creepy - kind of childlike

Liked the idea that this Lone Cyberman could somehow make the other Cybermen scream - that was good

THE DOCTOR AND THE MASTER standing next to a seeming altar like in Byron’s poem

Things I did not care for:

I still don’t know what that  ‘ascension’ means - i haven’t an INKLING - and you can’t tell me that he did that to them hundreds of thousands

the pace. For example, if Moffat will throw absolute BULLSHIT at the screen in the first five minutes to keep you from leaving the house to go to the pub or whatever then Chibnall will absolutely stretch out this random montage of this kid growing up in Ireland somewhere for as many minutes as he lingered on that damn cliff in Broadchurch every single episode lol -

- and then never deliver on what the heck that flashback or timeloop or whatever it is - is about. surely there’s a connection with Ashad but like - surely this episode should HINT at a resolution? Why is the twist in that story at the end of the episode? (look i have a normal regular maybe sub-average power of analysis - just make it TEXT at least)

the pace again, because if those refugees were all supposed to get away as quickly as possible they were certainly not acting very panicked about it

the way I really could NOT suspend my disbelief about space, or the space ship, or surviving the pod explosion, or it being at the exact same velocity as the cybermen floating and the cruise ship, or the landing in the docking bay gap, or the cyberguards, or that they couldn't do shit from Cybercontrol to stop them

Graham rambling on and on and on without much point or humour and needling people - basically the message i got is he really needs the Doctor there for it to be funny. didn’t think i’d EVER say this but he had too many lines??

Ryan getting to do Nothing

bit sad about side characters dying the first few minutes in and then nobody else - way to make me not care!

the cybermen aren’t really scary - because there’s zero body horror

This whole episode feeling like it’s just gearing up for the next with speeches and helplessness and talking talking talking to people to squeeze the pieces of the puzzle from them but not really getting them - and then SUDDENLY there’s Gallifrey and it’s like Chibs grabbed the two and clapped them together in his hands SMUSH too little and then suddenly too much but none of it makes sense still

feel iffy about Ethan taking over from the Doctor rewiring the warp - and what the heck was that tepid reference to Ryan having studied to be a mechanic once waved away in the next moment - eff off

Graham and Yaz’s Doctor-ish behaviour ending in Yaz going: eh we’ll just have to find the Doctor and we’ll be fine. Qué? Maybe think about blowing this damn ship up?

Note:

when the Doctor was sending them away with the escape pod i was like: uhhhh isn’t the safest place right next to you Doctor?? and indeed, Ryan got out totally fine, Yaz and Graham had to hope and scape to survive by the skin of their teeth and they’re about to be converted by a whole cyber army. she really doesn’t learn or she really is an ACTUAL idiot or - the dark voice in my head says - she just doesn’t want them near her because then she’s not constantly confronted with how much she’s put them in danger.