So, the new season has been upon us, we've got a few episodes in and I'm anxious to hear some opinions from the whovians amongst the clan.
Personally, I'm in love the Doctor's new companion. I'm not really a fan of how his companions always seem to *have* to be somehow super important to the universe somehow. But with that being said, she's very likeable to me. The first episode was pretty good, the whole wi-fi thing made you think about what could be possible with the technology already today that we *DON'T* know about.
I liked the second episode as well, but not as much. The rings of Akatan was a very good episode all the way till about the end. The whole "Leaf from a tree and all that could have been" saving the day. It seemed to be a little out there that this entity would be able to feast on all that could have been if not for that leaf. If that were the case, you could make the same claim of any item, and what could have been if it hadn't been moved, etc. Seemed a bit weak to me. But I'm interested on how others saw it.
Personally, I'm in love the Doctor's new companion. I'm not really a fan of how his companions always seem to *have* to be somehow super important to the universe somehow. But with that being said, she's very likeable to me. The first episode was pretty good, the whole wi-fi thing made you think about what could be possible with the technology already today that we *DON'T* know about.
I liked the second episode as well, but not as much. The rings of Akatan was a very good episode all the way till about the end. The whole "Leaf from a tree and all that could have been" saving the day. It seemed to be a little out there that this entity would be able to feast on all that could have been if not for that leaf. If that were the case, you could make the same claim of any item, and what could have been if it hadn't been moved, etc. Seemed a bit weak to me. But I'm interested on how others saw it.
I'm not fat ... I'm festively plump.
I see Clara and the leaf as being what truly solidified her as a real character, not just an anomaly. It definitely worked to define a set history for her that included her birth, so it also adds to the mystery the Doctor's trying to work out about there being more than one of her across time and space (she has died twice already, after all).
What makes the leaf truly special is that all gifts given on Akhaten were meant to be something truly cherished by the giver, and the degree it's cherished is its value. Clara gave the leaf to the alien, which caused it to feed on everything it was valued for, which included Clara's hopes for a future that never was where her mom was still alive, Clara's might-have-been's. Clara's hopes and dreams made that leaf infinitely valuable to her, which made it something that the alien could never stop feasting on, because her hopes and dreams had no end. It's about the same as if Capt. Jack had been trapped in the hotel in "The Angels Take Manhattan." In that episode, the Weeping Angels were trapping people inside the hotel harvesting the energy of those they sent into the past in a repeating cycle that only ended with the victims dying of old age. But since Capt. Jack is immortal, that would create a never-ending cycle for the Weeping Angels to feed on.
Hammerhead
What makes the leaf truly special is that all gifts given on Akhaten were meant to be something truly cherished by the giver, and the degree it's cherished is its value. Clara gave the leaf to the alien, which caused it to feed on everything it was valued for, which included Clara's hopes for a future that never was where her mom was still alive, Clara's might-have-been's. Clara's hopes and dreams made that leaf infinitely valuable to her, which made it something that the alien could never stop feasting on, because her hopes and dreams had no end. It's about the same as if Capt. Jack had been trapped in the hotel in "The Angels Take Manhattan." In that episode, the Weeping Angels were trapping people inside the hotel harvesting the energy of those they sent into the past in a repeating cycle that only ended with the victims dying of old age. But since Capt. Jack is immortal, that would create a never-ending cycle for the Weeping Angels to feed on.
Hammerhead
So far I'm liking Clara but I agree with you Malloy, I don't like how lately the companions have to have something special about them.
Donna was special because she became the Doctor Donna or how if she never met the Doctor he would have died fighting the Arachnos.
Wilf Mott was the one that caused the Doctor's death by knocking 4 times.
I didn't like how Rose had to be the one that got separated from him in a parallel universe that meets him again and gets a copy of him.
Why can't the companions just be special because of who they are? I mean there was nothing "special" about Sara Jane other than the fact that she was wonderful and we loved her.
Anyway, the wifi story was okay. The premise was cool. I thought the Rings of Akhenaten was kinda boring actually. Felt the leaf ending was predictable and cheesy. On the the other hand, really enjoyed the Cold War episode. It was suspenseful and exciting to watch. The last one Hide was definitely a wow episode. Seeing the Doctor scared and not in control. Awesome. Clara actually had very little to do.
I don't understand what the big deal is with the Tardis not liking Clara. I've never seen an issue with it before. Didn't the Doctor simply give keys to Rose and Martha? Why does Clara have to keep banging on the door?
Oh and I almost forgot. I could not take the idea of man eating snowmen seriously. Just could not get scared of those things.
Donna was special because she became the Doctor Donna or how if she never met the Doctor he would have died fighting the Arachnos.
Wilf Mott was the one that caused the Doctor's death by knocking 4 times.
I didn't like how Rose had to be the one that got separated from him in a parallel universe that meets him again and gets a copy of him.
Why can't the companions just be special because of who they are? I mean there was nothing "special" about Sara Jane other than the fact that she was wonderful and we loved her.
Anyway, the wifi story was okay. The premise was cool. I thought the Rings of Akhenaten was kinda boring actually. Felt the leaf ending was predictable and cheesy. On the the other hand, really enjoyed the Cold War episode. It was suspenseful and exciting to watch. The last one Hide was definitely a wow episode. Seeing the Doctor scared and not in control. Awesome. Clara actually had very little to do.
I don't understand what the big deal is with the Tardis not liking Clara. I've never seen an issue with it before. Didn't the Doctor simply give keys to Rose and Martha? Why does Clara have to keep banging on the door?
Oh and I almost forgot. I could not take the idea of man eating snowmen seriously. Just could not get scared of those things.
Samantha
Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.
Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.
I liked the last episode where the Doctor admitted to being scared (admittedly I half watched it). I like the suspenseful ones more than the ones where we see the baddie most of the way through.
I agree with you Sam re the assistants - it would be nice to have one who was just a normal person for a change, though I suspect that it's all part of the fact that these days most tv series need something more of an arc to the series, which only really something continuous like the assistant can achieve. Back in the 70s and 80s I can't remember there being an overall arc to a series, they were just a string of episodes stuck together.
I agree with you Sam re the assistants - it would be nice to have one who was just a normal person for a change, though I suspect that it's all part of the fact that these days most tv series need something more of an arc to the series, which only really something continuous like the assistant can achieve. Back in the 70s and 80s I can't remember there being an overall arc to a series, they were just a string of episodes stuck together.
David
Yeah David spoken like a true old timer.
"Back in my day, the Doctor had many companions and lots of individual episodes that had nothing to do with any other episodes!"
I miss the big face at the beginning. Matt Smith's face is kinda obscured. You can tell it's him but remember Sylvester McCoy's face winked at you in the opening credits?
I don't like this trend for one companion at a time. You've got this giant tardis with a ton of rooms and it's going to waste! What's the point of being bigger on the inside if all it does is house 2 people at a time.
"Back in my day, the Doctor had many companions and lots of individual episodes that had nothing to do with any other episodes!"
I miss the big face at the beginning. Matt Smith's face is kinda obscured. You can tell it's him but remember Sylvester McCoy's face winked at you in the opening credits?
I don't like this trend for one companion at a time. You've got this giant tardis with a ton of rooms and it's going to waste! What's the point of being bigger on the inside if all it does is house 2 people at a time.
Samantha
Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.
Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.
Frankly, apart from the recent episode, Hide, the writing has been horrendous. The stories have lacked engagement, the plot convenience has been far too common and despite some new stuff happening with the companion, there are too many familiar themes running through their friendship for it to be a genuine departure from previous female companions the Doctor has had.
I like the idea of Clara as he companion in the sense that it's a mystery that we gradually unravel and learn about, but the only service that particular subplot seems to receive is a line here or there. We really haven't learned anything about her since the latest Christmas episode.
The 50th Anniversary has me worried too. So far it's feeling like just a rehash of "The Two Doctors".
I like the idea of Clara as he companion in the sense that it's a mystery that we gradually unravel and learn about, but the only service that particular subplot seems to receive is a line here or there. We really haven't learned anything about her since the latest Christmas episode.
The 50th Anniversary has me worried too. So far it's feeling like just a rehash of "The Two Doctors".
I do like Clara, but my biggest gripe is still Matt Smith. I just cannot sympathize, laugh or get "into" him, at all. There was an episode (half watching at this point myself, so don't know the name) where he was doing a very emotional scene near the end, and I wasn't moved in the least. I was in full sobbing mode during the 'Waters of Mars' with David Tennant, as well as many of his other episodes. I'm not sure if it's Smith, or the writing... And I agree somewhat with David. Why does everything have to interconnect all the time? Can't there just be a series of adventures?
Cathy
