#doctor who review

[mostharshrepose]

favorite rotten tomatoes review yet

#doctor who 60th anniversary #irony #cluelessness #doctor who review #fourteenth doctor #rotten tomatoes #russell t davies #rtd era #doctor who

[cillacantstudysosheshere]

Trying to save that atrocious line from The Star Beast

Ok so the only thing that didn't sit right with me in the Star Beast was the "a male presenting Time Lord could never understand" line.

To me Donna and Rose's decision to let go of their Timelordness makes perfect sense and I'll explain why in a second but the fact that they chose to include that line is just no.

So let me explain my point. I know it's controversial but I actually like the fact that Donna and Rose chose to let go of their powers because now that I think about it the Doctor was the one choosing Donna's fate and it's not like she had any intention of giving up that power back then: she wanted to be the most important woman in the universe, she wanted to feel equal to the Doctor and she begged him to not let her go back to her normal life. She has always had that complex, she didn't feel special and having the mind of a Time Lord made her feel special. But now 15 years have passed and she is a mother, her not feeling special now has to do with the fact that she is way more selfless, she loves her family so much and she was ready to die to save Rose because SHE is the most important woman in the universe for Donna now.

So yeah, that line, as atrocious as it is, to me was meant as a way of saying that motherhood made Donna more selfless and that power is not the most important thing for her now that she has a family...but I can't get over the "ew men" subtext of that line, I just hate it. Also it's not like fathers can't be selfless for their children so like...what was the point of saying it like that. But yeah, I hope that's what their intention was with that line.

#doctor who special #doctor and donna #doctor who #catherine tate #russel t davies #david tennant #14th doctor #donna noble #doctor who 60th anniversary #the star beast #doctor who analysis #doctor who review

[the-all-seeing-salmon]

Doctor Who Episode Recommendations

Finally started watching classic Doctor Who right from the beginning and my friend asked for a list of episodes I'd recommend as, lets be honest, not all of the are that great. And so, here are my 1st Doctor era episode recommendations.

In short:

An Unearthly Child (4 eps)

The Daleks (7 eps)

The Aztecs (4 eps)

The Romans (4 eps)

The Web Planet (6 eps)

The Time Meddler (4 eps)

The Tenth Planet (4 eps)

With explanation:

An Unearthly Child - Good to see where the show started and as an introduction to the 1st Doctor and his companions.

The Daleks - Long, but the first few episodes at least are enjoyable. It's good to see where the daleks originated. However, and this may be sacrilege, but Terry Nation scripts aren't very good (this era anyway). Sorry Terry, but I don't rate your writing very highly, and whilst I recommend this serial, it starts to drag. I don't know why they keep giving you 6 episode to fill.

The Aztecs - A great historical serial, each episode is actually filled with content. It's exciting, interesting, and humorous. It feels almost like a modern Who episode. Best of the era in my opinion.

The Romans - Not as good as The Aztecs, but still pretty good. The historical episodes in this era are rather good imo, whilst often the more sci-fi serials feel a bit lacking.

The Web Planet - This one may divide opinion, but I think it's a wonderful and silly story with some of the best sci-fi writing in the era to this point. The sets and costumes aren't great, granted, but it had ambition and I commend it for that. If you watch it as theatre it's a great serial. Also the larvae guns are cute.

The Time Meddler - A proper mix of historical and science fiction, with some exploration of the wider lore that ultimately makes the show.

The Tenth Planet - Hartnell's last serial and a good one, plus the first encounter of the cybermen.

#doctor who #first doctor #william hartnell #the doctor #1st doctor #doctor who review #classic who #the daleks

[nellie-elizabeth]

Doctor Who: The Star Beast (2023 Special 1)

I mean, I'm going to be emotional no matter what about seeing David Tennant and Catherine Tate back on my screen as the Doctor and Donna Noble. To be frank, this episode didn't have to be that good to draw me in and make me sentimental! Let's see how it went.

Cons:

I think the little prologue thing where we get reminded on the history of Donna and the Doctor as characters was a little strange. I almost would have rather just had a "previously on" with Tennant doing voiceover or something. Especially since the Doctor later explains the whole "Donna took in the mind of a time lord and had to have her memory erased" bit, on screen, to another character.

While I overall want to praise the way pronouns and gender were quite casually discussed in this episode, I did think the fact that Rose was the one to speak up and basically say "did you just assume this alien's gender" was a little clunky. I wish the Meep had just corrected the Doctor outright instead of the one trans person in the room needing to intervene? That's the smallest of nitpicks, though.

Another slightly less small nitpick about the way gender was discussed in this? I really hated the "this is something a male-presenting Time Lord will never understand" line. Because isn't the point that the Doctor is male and female and neither and more? And the Doctor has just finished living as a female-presenting Time Lord, that's kind of the whole point, right? So shouldn't it more have been something about, like, Rose and the Doctor both having explored their gender in different ways, made them more aware of how to let go the parts of yourself that you don't want, and hold onto the ones that you do? Couldn't it have been a thing where the Doctor takes ownership of his presentation, like he realizes that subconsciously he wanted to revisit someone he used to be, for a while? And that that's okay? Instead it just felt like this clunky moment where Donna and her daughter got to be like "you don't get it because you're just a stupid man" and that felt so out of the spirit of what the message was meant to be. Also, why give up the meta-crisis? If it wasn't killing them anymore? Jeez.

I did think the dialogue was again a little clunky in the explanation for why Rose was able to take on part of the meta-crisis. Because at first I was 100% on board, the fact that Donna had a child meant that the thing that was too much for one human was passed down and shared between the two of them. That Donna's memories were there buried in Rose's mind, that she made toys based on the aliens they'd met over their adventures, and that she picked the name Rose in part because of Rose Tyler. That's a lot of fun and it makes sense within this wacky sci-fi universe. But I wasn't sure what the "we're binary" and "she's not" business was supposed to be about. Based on what they're literally saying in the scene, it sounds like the Doctor is the nonbinary one, is he not? And Rose is a young transwoman, she's not nonbinary, except in so far as she connects to that? I don't know, it was just sort of a weird explanation. I'm not mad at it like I'm sure stupid reactionary conservatives are going to be, I'm just literally unclear on what they were trying to communicate there.

Shaun seems like a very nice man but he didn't have a ton of time to develop. I felt like I had time to revisit this version of the Doctor and Donna as characters. And Sylvia, it was lovely to see her again, it was like no time had passed. Rose got a few good personality beats, as did another new character Shirley. But Shaun was just kind of there... and a nice guy. And that's fine, I just didn't find him as compelling as the rest of the episode.

Not sure about the new TARDIS design? It seems a little sterile to me. Maybe it'll grow on me.

Pros:

But despite some gripes, I honestly had a really, really good time. And I'm not surprised: having these characters back on screen warmed my heart so much!

Just... instantly the energy of having them on screen together, it was so good. The Doctor seeing Donna, trying to avoid getting sucked in, but everything starts happening so fast that he can't avoid it. The "Rose" "What?" "Rose" "What?" "ROSE" bit was so fucking funny and just the kind of fan service that I personally am after.

I also loved the psychic paper not having caught up to the Doctor's current gender presentation, that was a fun little gag. I appreciated just in general that Tennant played the Doctor like he was slipping into a comfortable and familiar set of clothes. I sort of worried that he'd go mugging about and camping it up too much, and there were a few more bombastic moments, but a lot of it was toned down in a way that I really appreciated. The scene with Shirley, the UNIT scientific advisor, was a good example of this. I loved how she just came up and knew who he was, and he oh-so-casually started chatting with her. Both of them playing it cool in a way that was satisfying to see. Shirley's meeting a legend that she's heard about for who knows how long, and the Doctor is reconnecting with UNIT after a long while. ("Waited your whole life?" / "You wish!")

The Meep is so cute in such an obnoxious sort of way. I love the Doctor's incredulous "it's so cute", almost affronted by the reality of it. Because - same. And everyone saying "The Meep" in such a serious tone of voice was a constant comedic beat. Of course, the plot twist about The Meep being the bad guy and the scary insect aliens being good guys, was fairly predictable, but it still made me laugh! I think sometimes people forget that this is a family show, and it's got to have over the top ridiculous fun for the kids.

It's this wonderful tension throughout the episode, the fact that Donna doesn't remember the Doctor. There's this beat where he hands her the sonic screwdriver to hold for a second while he's working on pushing shields into place, and when she takes it there's this sense of automatic cooperation between them that feels innate to Donna. There's no dialogue, just an expression on her face, to communicate this. I love small moments like that!

I also really loved the through-line of Donna's mother and her worry that Donna will die when exposed to the larger truth about the universe around her. It's not that Sylvia is the perfect mother, there seems to be tension between them and moments where they don't always get everything right with one another. But her care for Donna, the lengths she'll go to, to keep her safe? Very moving for me. She's the one constantly on alert for Donna to start remembering, and the haunted look on her face towards the end when she said "she called him the Doctor", was honestly really powerful.

This is a small thing, but the techno-babble felt especially comedic and ridiculous in that good campy sci-fi fun way that Doctor Who is often so good at. "Brandish the gravity stanchions" / "Gravity stanchions brandished" had me laughing out loud. And "vindicate the cyberline", "inculcate the plexidrones" were some other good ones. I'm sure if I went back and watched again there would be another dozen I could chuckle at.

The fact that Donna has like... a mindwipe reinitiating sequence, like the freakin' Winter Soldier or something, is honestly so funny to me. But also, Tennant and Tate are good enough performers, and there's enough of a history and build-up with these characters, that his realization of what he has to do to save London still hits really hard. It's almost an echo of the sacrifice the Doctor made all those years ago to save Wilf. (Who, we find out, is still alive and living in a very posh nursing home. So that's fun!)

But it really worked well for me, the Doctor starting to break down, wondering why it had to be this! He's suffered so much, and he loves Donna so much, and he just wants her to be safe!

I was genuinely moved by Donna's death scene! There's something about the Doctor when the role is played really well, and the script is firing on all cylinders, where the fact of his impossibly long life is there, a pressure filling up the room, adding weight to every moment. The fact that the Doctor and Donna have this final exchange and the Doctor is able to quite calmly smile down at Donna as she dies in his arms... the part where he might have gotten this face back just to say goodbye, and Donna saying "good fun, though".... it was so sweet and simple, and then cut to the mind-controlled soldiers coming into the room as he cradles her dead body. They say they're here to kill him, and he says "do what you want." Amazing. Chills.

And then that bit at the end: "I really do remember, though. Every second with you. And I'm so glad you're back, because it killed me, Donna." I did in fact have all the feels.

A couple other moments that really made me smile: the Doctor realizing about Rose's name, that was quite lovely. And the bit where Donna's husband isn't even a little bit insecure at the thought of Donna going somewhere alone with the Doctor, because, come on: look at him. And Donna giving up her lottery winnings because she wanted to be kind and soft and helpful like the Doctor, even though she couldn't remember him? That fucks me up in the best way!

While I've critiqued a couple of awkward moments with the discussion of gender, I do also want to take a moment to praise what worked well. First, just meeting Rose and seeing her without being pre-introduced to the idea that Donna's daughter is trans. Then, that scene with Donna and Sylvia in the kitchen, where Sylvia accidentally says "he" and feels self-conscious about commenting on Rose's looks, even in a positive light, because she never did that back before she transitioned. That felt very real to me and like a good way to lightly address a real issue for the audience to maybe contemplate a bit.

So now we're off on another adventure, and we've got two more episodes to look forward to with the Doctor and Donna. I feel really grateful for a chance to hang out with them again. What other cameos from the past might we get to see?

8/10

#review #doctor who #doctor who review

[rapha-reads]

The Star Beast

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

DOCTOR WHO SAID NONBINARY RIGHTS AND GENDER NONCONFORMING RULES!!!!!!!!

So. DoctorDonna is BACK. With a trans daughter, an absolutely wholesome husband, and a mellowed out mother!!!! What a BLAST that was, seeing her on screen again! It's what she deserves! FIFTEEN YEARS we've been asking justice for Donna Noble, and RTD delivered!!!!

(Also, is it me, or has Catherine Tate NOT aged at all?)

I'm super excited, that first special episode was awesome.

The Meep was terrifying and hilarious, even when they were being all cute, my very first reaction was "yeah, no, don't trust". Shoutout to Miriam Margolyes for the voice acting, that was perfect!

I loved that the Wrarth Warriors were so polite and official posh, with their look, it was super funny and interesting to watch and hear.

Oh, shoutout to our new UNIT liaison officer, Science Advisor 56 Shirley Anne Bingham! She sounds like the life of the party. I hope we get more of her (and her badass wheelchair).

I hope we get to see Wilf, it's so good that he's still alive, Bernard Cribbins is missed.

"Something that a male-presenting Time Lord wouldn't know to do" sent me OFF, lmao, also thank you RTD for all the references to Thirteenth, she WAS amazing and she deserves to be remembered.

Rose Noble is amazing and precious. She's going to grow up and be a brilliant, badass, amazing woman. That moment when she tells the Meep she feels lonely because she feels different hit right in the feels. Also her face when the stupid schoolboys bully her and call her deadname. [Personal aside: I argued with my mother today in amongst other things because she insists on calling me my full name version, which I don't like, instead of the diminutive, which is my chosen name - and she said "I named you Raphaelle, with the 'elle' ('she' in French, which, nope) at the end, very important", and that made me flinch so hard; please don't gender me, it's Rapha and that's it. Anyway, I'm glad to see more trans and nonbinary rep, especially in Doctor Who.]

Moving on.

If I had a nickel for every time the Doctor questioned "why this face", I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.

DAVID TENNANT. Welcome back, Sir! I have to admit something: when everyone and especially people who kept shitting on Twelfth and Thirteenth got all excited about David Tennant coming back, I got a bit disheartened, because I felt (and a lot of people explicitly said) that it would overshadow and discard Capaldi's excellent work and Jodie's run, and I wasn't as excited about David as most people. BUT I gotta admit it: it is AMAZING to see David back in action as the Doctor, with the added weight of the Doctor's past three regenerations! He knows the character, he knows the history, he knows the universe, and it SHOWS. I love that he's older, wiser, grizzlier, more prudent, they got burn so many times, and yet still ridiculous, goofy, prone to fondness and kind to his bones... Yeah, that's the Doctor again.

And now onto the real star, the one true MVP... DONNA NOBLE. Most important woman in the universe. Brilliant, sassy Donna!!!! I looooove that amnesiac Donna gave away the money, and that it's the first thing she rails against when she gets all her memories back. It's just. Prime Donna stuff. All at once incredibly kind and driven to help, but also down to earth and practical. Yeah, yeah, helping others, of course, that's the priority, but also, damn it, take care of myself too, ya know? She's SO relatable!! Love that she adores her daughter and that's her calling. Remember when she felt so lost and aimless? Now she's got her objective: being a mother to an amazing daughter. Oh, and, uuuh.... Wrecking the Tardis every time she sets foot in it. Oops! Can't wait to see where they land!

Oh, oh, the Tardis! Not sure I'm a fan of the new design, tbh. Too white, too empty. I hope she's not going to stay like this too long. Pretty sure it won't, given that she's already on fire.

And on the last thing for this first episode: I do hope we're getting actual ties-in with the 60 years history...

Onto Wild Blue Yonder!

#doctor who #doctor who spoilers #dw spoilers #rapha is being a whovian #the star beast #doctor who 60th anniversary #fourteenth doctor #donna noble #rose noble #beep the meep #doctor who review

[esonetwork]

The Diary of River Song Series 8 Review | Earth Station Who

New Post has been published on https://esonetwork.com/the-diary-of-river-song-series-8-review-earth-station-who/

The Diary of River Song Series 8 Review | Earth Station Who

Delve into the captivating world of Doctor Who with the Earth Station Who Podcast’s review of the Big Finish Audio’s, “The Diary of River Song” series 8! Join us as we journey alongside the enigmatic River Song through time and space in this thrilling audio adventure. Joined this week by Podcaster Julie Filipek, we explore each riveting chapter of River’s escapades along with Rachel and K9, unraveling the mysteries of her captivating character through Time and Space. Whether you’re a devoted Whovian or a casual listener, our review promises to immerse you in the rich storytelling of Professor River Song and the ever-expanding universe of Doctor Who. Tune in now for an unforgettable journey with the Doctor’s most intriguing companion!

We want to hear from you! Please write to us at [email protected]. Also, please subscribe and rate the show on iTunes, Amazon, YouTube, or wherever fine podcasts are found. Feedback is always welcome and much appreciated.

Links Listen to older episodes of the Earth Station Who Podcast ESW on iTunes Earth Station Who on Spotify Earth Station Who on Instagram Earth Station Who on YouTube Make-A-Wish Foundation The ESO Network TeePublic Store The ESO Network Patreon Watchers in The 4th Dimension

Promotion Tales From Hollywoodland

If you would like to leave feedback or comment feel free to email us at [email protected]

#Audio drama critique #Audio series discussion #Audio storytelling #big finish audio review #Big Finish productions #Doctor Who #doctor who audio drama #doctor who community #Doctor Who Companion #doctor who fandom #Doctor Who lore exploration #Doctor Who Podcast #Doctor Who Review #Earth Station Who #Earth Station Who Ep 349 #ESO Network #ESW #Julie Filipek #Mary Ogle #Michael Gordon #Mike Faber #Podcast #River Song #River Song adventures #River Song character analysis #River Song series 8 #Sci-fi podcast discussion #Science fiction audio review #time lord adventures #Time-traveling audio series

[rachelsfav-queer]

Soooo….

I rewatched Doctor Who: The Flux and y’all… I really really tried. I went in with an open mind and pushed away all the negativity I have associated with it. I wanted to look at it objectively, as an avid Doctor Who fan who enjoys everything Doctor Who.

And I have to admit, it is not as bad on a second watch. Having a better understanding of the story with previous knowledge on everything that happens, I was able to better grasp and comprehend the story being told.

But… I still stand by my original opinion of this storyline. It is overly complicated, incredibly difficult to follow, especially on a first watch, and simply just not a very well told story.

Which is honestly very sad because the story is actually incredibly interesting and I actually found myself invested in it this time around! I liked the concept and I really loved the villains of Swarm and Azure. In fact, I would love to see more of them, even though they were destroyed by Time in the end.

But unfortunately, it was all weighed down by too many unnecessary, misdirecting plot lines and the improper introduction of too many new characters and inclusion of too many returning characters. Half the time, I had no idea what was actually going on and I was constantly confused on which villains to worry about. On top of that, there were so many characters or little threads of plot that went absolutely nowhere. One second, I’m being led one direction with certain characters and villains only to suddenly and totally randomly be thrown into another direction, and everything we were just focused on is thrown out entirely, never mentioned again.

Overall, Flux was a very good concept with interesting villains and promising storylines. But the execution was by far one of the worst I’ve ever seen in Doctor Who and the writing was a massive letdown. What could’ve been a great starting off point for future stories to be told was instead squandered by the overachieving writer that is Chris Chibnall. A man that I will always remember to be the one who almost tore Doctor Who apart with his need to introduce as many new concepts to the show all at once with no clear distinction between each one.

Anyway, just my little rant on the Flux 😊

#rachel talks #doctor who #the flux #doctor who flux #flux spoilers #doctor who spoilers #13th doctor #doctor who review #doctor who rewatch

[whovianbrainrot]

Classic Who review

An Unearthly Child

I really liked the first episode of this story. It introduced Barbara & Ian well. I do love how they were looking out for Susan while so indulging their curiosity.

When the 1st Doctor arrives his dynamic with Ian in particular was very entertaining, Ian's frustration & confusion up against the Doctors grumpiness & sass.

The next 3 parts of the story are in the stone age. The caveman drama was pretty tedious at times but it was still entertaining.

It's odd to see Ian acting more like the Doctor than the actual Doctor, the 1st Doctor has almost none of the attributes I associate with the Doctor but Ian does.

Don't get me wrong I'm loving the 1st Doctor, his sass, his stubborn selfishness & his grumpy attitude is actually quite endearing & fun to watch but he's not what I think of the Doctor to be.

Maybe Barbara & Ian will influence the 1st Doctor, creating a interesting character arc for him, leading him to become a bit more like what I know the Doctor to be.

I'm very excited to be finally watching classic Doctor Who!

After being a fan of this show for over 15 years, it's really cool to see where it all started.

My plan is to do these reviews after i finish each story.

#doctor who #classic who #1st doctor #barbara wright #ian chesterton #classic doctor who #an unearthly child #dr who #the doctor #william hartnell #jacqueline hill #william russell #first doctor #doctor who review

[themuskrater]

My favorite costume from each Doctor (Part 2)

In Part 1 I went over my favorite costume for each of the Classic Doctors. This is Part 2, where I'll be doing the same thing with all of the Revival Doctors

Honestly I struggled to decide where to put this, but decided to keep it in regeneration order. John Hurt wears two costumes as The War Doctor. One we briefly see in a reflection in Night of the Doctor, which is essentially just the 8th Doctor's costume with a new leather bandolier, and his iconic Day of the Doctor costume. Obviously, I chose the later. We only see this Doctor in his final moments before regenerating, but his costume tells his whole story

When Doctor Who came back in 2005, audiences were greeted with a much different Doctor. He was angry, cynical, and alone. Christopher Eccleston's costume reflects that perfectly. We only see minor changes to his costume in the form of different color shirts. They're all basically the same, but if I have to choose one, I do like the red v-neck quite a bit

Yes. I know his hair is flat, hear me out. David Tennant was another Doctor who only got subtle variations. New shirts, different ties, and two different colors of the same suit. Personally, I always liked the blue shirt and brown suit combo. So why this one over all the other nearly identical versions? The tie. Day of the Doctor gave 10 a brand new tie he's never worn before and it's personally my favorite. Yes the hair is flat, but it was also pretty flat at times in series 2 and 3 so that doesn't bother me

Can you tell I really liked the costumes in Day of the Doctor? Matt Smith was the first Doctor since Tom Baker to get a full head-to-toe redesign for series 7b. Before that, it was essentially unchanged with variations I'm the blazer, shirts, and color of bowtie, as well a green duster for a few episodes. But the 7b purple frock is my favorite. So again, why did I pick the 50th version? Well, the 7b design was originally introduced with a different vest a few variations of the bowtie. The purple waistcoat and dotted bowtie happen to be my favorite

Onto my personal favorite Doctor, Peter Capaldi rivals Jon Pertwee for sheer number of costumes worn on screen, and like Pertwee, it was nearly impossible for me to pick a favorite. I almost chose obvious standouts like the linen coat or the burgundy velvet. Instead, I landed on this look from The Magicians Apprentice for one simple reason. This is the costume he wore when I KNEW he was going to be my favorite. The dad jokes, the guitar, the sonic shades, the plaid pants. This was MY Doctor

Jodie Whittaker got very few variations in her costume. Like 9, 13 mainly just changed the color of her shirt aside from a few one-offs. Then we got Resolution. It's still a simple change, but the dark blue tee shirt was swapped out for a vibrant blue sweater. In addition, it gave her this fun rainbow scarf that I loved so much that I wish it had been a permanent change to her costume

The Fugitive Doctor or the Ruth Doctor, or whatever you want to call her, is dripped the fuck out. Jo Martin only got one costume but she didn't NEED any alternates because she just looks so damn cool. All I'll say is let her wear those sunglasses more often, they look great on her and they give her Doctor extra character and individuality

When he said he didn't want to go, what he meant was I'm not leaving. At this point, everyone knows David Tennant is returning to play the 14th Doctor. His costume seems to be a modern reimagining of his 10th Doctor look. We've only gotten to see a few seconds of footage of him as well as some promotional photos, but I love this costume. If this were a 10th Doctor returning, this would have won my favorite 10th Doctor look. I know some people are angry we didn't get to see him in Jodie's costume post-regeneration, but that doesn't bother me too much. I'm expecting it to be part of the story of the 60th

I'll post an update or maybe a part 3 when Ncuti Gatwa's costume is revealed. For now, I'll just say I'm so glad we're getting a Doctor with a mustache. It looks great on him and I hope he keeps it. Mustaches are cool

#doctor who #dr who #dw #nuwho #doctor who revival #doctor who review #david tennant #jodie whittaker #john hurt #christopher eccleston #matt smith #peter capaldi #ncuti gatwa #jo martin #the war doctor #9th doctor #10th doctor #11th doctor #12th doctor #13th doctor #14th doctor #15th doctor #the fugitive doctor #the ruth doctor #doctor who costume #costume review #doctor who costumes #costume design #day of the doctor #doctor who 60th anniversary

[myasssaysno]

Once upon a Time-Lord.... (What does the even mean?)

Why is the Doctor stood in front of a green-screen like the world, no, the universes worst weather man?

Why is Donna so caught up on events that took place fifteen years ago?

Why does this feel like everything between then and now, never happened?

What is happening?

(I'm aware I'm supper late to the party but...)

The Star Beast (Doctor Who Special of 2023) Review.

This felt nerve racking (which is ridiculous) but watching this actually caused me distress.

I watched the 2005 Doctor Who as a child and liked Donna well enough as a companion (she proved a bit much at times but she wasn't in love with the Doctor, so a win as far as I'm concerned.)

But I never expected to see her back on the screen. Especially not with the 10th Doctor (no, I don't consider him the 14th, though I will refer to him as that from now on, but in reality, the whole point of the number system is to identify the Doctor being referred to by face, not regeneration, because that went out the window, with the War Doctor.)

Point is, RTD came back (for some reason) and wanted to remind everyone about his era of Doctor Who (in case we forgot) and retconned the most tragic companion exit ever.

Not that whole Doctor-Donna thing should have happened in the first place, but still.

That being said, RTD came back, Donna's back, 10th is now also the 14th Doctor (and a part time weather man), and all attention is immediately on how things got left last time.

Which is mistake one; (I can take a shitty opening, to fill in anyone who wasn't their to watch Donna's time as a companion) but at no point does it feel like 15-years has passed.

At no point, do I get a sense of this new Donna. We get constant mentions of everything that happened, but that means nothing to me.

Show me Donna's life. We deserve that. I want to see this woman thrive after the Doctor. I want to see her meet her husband and have weird dreams about him cheating on her with a spider, which her husband finds weird but funny. I want to see the challenges of getting a job, and then the stress of having a job you don't like, I want to see her lose said job and have to explain everything to the family. I want to see her have a child, and her reaction to them coming out as Trans. I want them to have a normal, human life, until Rose Noble finds an alien.

No Doctor. No Aliens. No nothing. Just Donna and her family.

Because then maybe I would have cared when she almost died. Which unfortunately didn't happen.

I'm going to be honest, I wanted Donna Noble to die, and I don't dislike Donna Noble, but her entire introduction and her entire time on screen resolved around this missing chunk of her life. It seemed to consume her, and that's completely unfair. In the end, it seemed like, she'd rather remember and die, then live. Despite her saying the opposite, but that was the option and I think Donna should have known that, and made that choice, because she never got the chance to do so the first time round.

That being said, RTD also seems to have learnt all the wrong lessons from Chibnall, by including diverse characters (just about) but not representing anyone.

Rose Noble (and I still can't believe he named her Rose) is a one-dimensional character. She is Donna's daughter. She is Trans. And she is just super nice. We get nothing more than that. I would have loved to see her interact with the Meep for longer. I wanted them to built up trust and respected, only for it all to be one big lie that tears Rose apart.

Which sounds horrible, but it would add to her character, and also make her aware that not everyone who is discriminated against is immediately trustworthy. They might understand, they might relate but that doesn't mean they care.

Meep proved to be this perfect character, or villain, which demonstrated the looks can be deceiving aspect.

And Rose comes across as someone just young and hopeful enough to be deceived but she wouldn't be the only one. Everyone else got deceived too, she's just the one more heartbroken over it. Because she thought they were friends.

Whilst the Doctor should have ended up at the spaceship, met with Shirley, and they should have teamed up. Because once more, there is no point adding a wheelchair user, if they're pretty much replaceable and just sitting around?

I'm aware that people overlook all types of well people, but you mean to tell me, they didn't think it worth it to hold the woman captive. Did she just hide somewhere? I mean that's not bad, but it also feels bad, like she should have had her moment, beyond appearing when the main character's needed her.

Like I would have loved to see her, where she joins the Doctor, and goes with him, on the taxi ride, which would take place after the spaceship lands not before. And then, they would all end up re-meeting at Donna's house anyway. And Shirley's wheelchair can just be advanced enough to get into the house, and become one of those chair-lifts which gets her upstairs.

My point is, if she wasn't a wheelchair user, she'd actual probably be found dead in a corner somewhere.

Doctor Who (or should I say its writers) really don't care for side-character like they should, unless they're making them the most sympathetic character's imaginable (then its over the top).

Let's jump back to the actual episode which I haven't even talked about probably yet.

It opens weirdly, with the Doctor and Donna filling everyone in (which I have discussed) and then we immediately jump to the Doctor stumbling into Donna, which is both convenient (or not) and destroys any built up to this moment.

Before we can even get into the episode, before we can really understand that 15 years has passed for Donna, and over a thousand years for the Doctor, we immediately have them meet, and it's alright now, because she doesn't immediately die, by looking at the Doctor's face (something we already knew).

And not to get into too much but having the Doctor get his old face back ruins the whole thing about the Doctor's face not even mattering.

Point is, a spacecraft crash lands (though not really) and everyone sees it but Donna. Which was a thing, that never made any sense the first time round, but what can you do?

Would have been nicer to see how that affected Donna? Or that it had no affect, confusing and troubling the Doctor.

Some nice little foreshadowing that things are different now, that things have changed, since the Master turned everyone's face into his.

The Doctor then gets a taxi ride from Shaun, the husband. And that is all you need to know (other than he's happy man, with happy life, and happy family, that's happy all the time (except his wife lost her job, and they can't afford the house anymore and might have to down-size, oh and his daughter things it's her responsibility now to provide for the family, because she's likely blaming herself for existing.))

None of that matters though, because they gave away the money from the lottery, which is all the Doctor's fault.

Like honestly this is the most annoying thing, throughout the entire episode. The focus on money, for all the wrong reasons.

I don't even get the point of it. Are we saying, giving away money is bad? You will regret giving to charity, because one-day you'll need that money?

Because in all honesty, the lottery money, which happened at least ten-years ago, is completely irrelevant.

At this point, the whole focus should be on the fact that a job fired Donna over spilt coffee. (Which apparently was foreshadowing (for reasons unknown to just about everyone.))

Ah, dead-naming.

I'm sorry, but there is zero excuse, and even lesser reasons to do this. It achieves absolutely nothing.

No attention is brought to this, about how horribly it is to be dead-named. It compared to causal bullying, and I don't wanted to lessen the horrors of bullying in general, but it takes one a whole new level of horror when it against Trans people, for being trans, and involves a group of boys on a trans-girl.

(I will not go into this anymore, you either understand or don't.)

And Donna's response, makes her look like an awful parent. Oh, it's okay sweetheart, because I was once a bully, just like those boys, and I'm going to go bully their mother, which might be the reason, she raised her sons like that.

(Not placing the blame completely on Donna, or the Mother for the boys behaviour, but the point remains, don't comfort your kid being bullied, with bullying.)

Now this wouldn't come across as such a bad parent moment, if we're seen Donna, and how much she'd changed since becoming a parent. We get hints of it, and a nice conversation with Sylvia who has also mellowed out nicely.

Unfortunately, we don't get the same conversation with Rose and someone else. Someone she can express herself to, who isn't family and understands.

The closest we get is Fudge, but he's a little kid, and not someone she can really open-up to. I was hoping, that would end up being the Doctor as some point, but that never happened. (All of their bonding just happened of screen, I guess.)

Once again, we've spoke about Rose helping the Meep, and how tamed it is. We've also spoken about the Doctor and Shirley.

Now I have nothing wrong with the way, everything sort of falls out of control very quickly. We have Donna poking the Meep in the eye, the Meep asking for help, and Sylvia panicking, only for the Doctor to turn up, which makes everything worse until Shuan brings a moment pause to everything once more.

Nicely done, (if a little quick), some part do feel a little random. Like the Doctor hearing Donna. Instead of tracking the Meep, as opposed to the escape pod like everyone else.

Also, almost forgot to speak about the sonic.

Some people don't like it. Other's love it. Everyone knew it's just a special thing, and one kind of has to ask, why bother with a new sonic for just three-episodes?

I feel like its wasted potential.

I like a Doctor without a sonic as much as the next person, but I also see the potential in the sonic which is never used. And it has become a part of the Doctor. I mean the guy runs around without a shield, which exist in-universe, alongside teleporters and other helpful gadgets.

The reason for that, is the writer's are never actual prepared to handle that level of technology all the time. It would get boring very quickly, for a shield to have to be destroyed, before the Doctor can be injured, each and every time. But honestly, just have it there, and don't bring attention to it.

I don't think the Doctor needs to be in danger, every episode, and the whole, ducking and dodging, just takes away tension, because you know they're going to be alright. Having the Doctor wear a shield, and being shot at, and surviving, makes sense. And only once, you wanted them hurt or to get shot, do you come up with a reason for the shield to stop working, or have then give it to someone else.

I'm saying, with a little thought, having more advanced technology on the Doctor could actual work. But Writer's don't want that, and Doctor Who fans don't want that.

In conclusion, the new sonic is a one-off anyway. Like, even compared to the rest of the episodes, they never use it again. (I guess it costs too much).

I personally liked that it could be used as a screen, which could come in useful (but is never used again). Didn't like the shielding as much.

We take a moment to sit down, bandage up the Meep's hand, and have a little chat. Now, I've briefly mentioned, but I think Donna comes across to brash at times, but more so now. She's supposed to be a mother, and more tamed but, the not clarifying Wilf is in a home, felt out of place, and more so, blaming the Doctor for misunderstanding.

She did it all the time, the first go round, and it annoyed me to no end. As someone who can easily misunderstand people, I guess it doesn't help, I consider her already knowing the Doctor. But still, even as someone not known to you, you don't call them an idiot for being sad, because they think your grandfather's dead.

Have a heart.

Also, Rose getting at the Doctor for using a he pronoun on the Meep, felt all wrong. Like a new touch, and a nice addition to Doctor Who, but would have liked the Doctor to smile, and ask is it 2023 already, and get a massive glare from Sylvia for his trouble.

Like an acknowledgement, he's dumming himself down and has been since the sixties, because of our out-dated views about gender, would be the perfect moment to have the Doctor open up about his own gender, and not have been ignorant to the entire thing. And this continues, and turns out to be foreshadowing for a worse moment.

Also, also, having the Doctor confess to also having the pronoun 'The' (and not have this be a throw-away line) would have worked to, he could even have mentioned how this is true of all Time-Lords, expect their more than comfortable with he/him, she/her, they/them, when applicable. So, it's not wrong to use, any.

Now, we have the sonic save the day, to allow them to escape upstairs. I like that the Doctor lead them to safety through the attic, a clever move.

However, the fact that Unit, who have been possessed, know where the Meep is, is questionable. Beyond that, the fact they're firing into the house, with the Meep in, is also questionable. And even more so, why is the Meep, still playing pretend at this moment, what is the Meep waiting for exactly, other than the Doctor to catch up?

Now, the Doctor works it out, and drives the Meep to somewhere to speak with the Meep. And then summons the Warrior's (Zogroth's my mistake) to have a chat.

This could have been a good moment, if one, Fudge actual spoke with the Zogroth (why did I not know they had such a cool name?) and befriended them, because then, it's Rose and Meep, against Fudge and Zogroth.

Imagine that, this has been building for a few days, maybe a week, and we don't know who to trust, but Rose is convinced the Meep are the trustworthy one's, and Fudge trust Rose, but it turns out, she's actual wrong. And the Meep almost kills Fudge. Or, is honest with Fudge, letting us know the Meep is evil, but only when Rose isn't looking or around.

We could have even had then, on different sizes of the court room arguing their point. The Doctor caught in the middle, Fudge upset and angry that no-one believes him, because he's a kid. It could have been a whole thing, that's slower paced and gives the audience times to think and pick a side, but no, we just have the Doctor speaking fast, the camera spinning, and the Meep just giving up I guess, and confessing.

Point is, we build on this perception, of good vs bad, and not judging a book by its cover. And have the Doctor be there, to get to the truth of the issue, and could still have the silly mock-court, which happened because, they wanted to have the doctor wear a judge wig?

Not sure on that one, but the fact the Meep relives the truth then, and not at any other point, is the first odd point. Also, the second is that the Meep doesn't kill nor eat the Doctor, Donna, or her family.

Then, we get to the Meep's plan. Which is to destroy the earth for some reason? (I'm not actual sure, and I can't be bothered working it out.)

Point is, the Doctor needs Donna, became a glass barrier is slowing him down, and I know a lot of people like the Doctor (this Doctor) running around pressing button, randomly, but um, it goes on way too long for me.

Either way, he has to cause Donna to remember. And I do, like the whole, list of random works to unblock her memorises, but we've had no built up to it, and an even worse pay off.

Donna remembers, they save the day, and she doesn't die. Because she had a baby, (another companions child, where the Doctor is the third-parent, let hope he doesn't marry this one.)

Now because of this, Rose has some of the Doctor-Donna too, and when its activated, she able to save the Doctor and Donna, which is a little forced.

Point against this, I would rather have had it, fade over time, as though Donna had slowly been releasing the built up energy. Or had her, give it away, (as she sort of does), because now she's content in her life, she has a family, and a daughter, and doesn't want to be the Doctor anymore, doesn't want to travel the universe anymore.

That would have been perfect, but nothing builds up to this moment. Our problem is, we have too many characters, and none of them doing anything (but that's only an issue when Chibnall writes it).

Doesn't matter, the point is, the Doctor's now a male-presenting time-lord again, for like a morning tops, (half a day maybe) and is already too ignorant to realise the truth about Donna's condition, which has never happened before.

This actual could have been a brilliant moment, where Donna's like, you don't understand, because you haven't lived with this for fifteen-years. Which would link in, with the fight a lot of people (particularly woman) have with Doctor's presuming they understanding the illness a person is going through, better than the patient.

The Meep is stopped and honestly deserved a little better, some people really liked him. I thought it a mistake to not allow them to take it further in their deception, so it had a point. Also, they whole, they weren't evil, but made evil, and this Meep is the last, feels like, it missing the point, this episode should be aiming for. And that is that, appearance doesn't matter.

Rose has always had the memorises of the Doctor shinning through, wonderful, another character indebted to the Doctor for life, just what we need. (And the first trans character, is a by-product of the Doctor, so she can be trans, but you can't, because you're human and only the Doctor the weirdo who's male, female and more.)

Donna should have gone back to her life after this, we should have seen her visiting Wilf, to watch the stars together. Both of them wondering about the Doctor, missing him. But content to sit and watch from a safe distance, because she is that over the Doctor, and that secure in herself, and her family. That is the ending Donna Noble deserved.

3/10

Forgettable Villain. Misunderstood Characters. Too Much Going On. Happening Too Quickly. And The Worst Offender Of Them All Empty Inclusion.

(OH, and also, it's supposed to be a 60th anniversary of the WHOLE of Doctor Who).

#Doctor Who Criticism #RTD2 #RTD Criticism #Doctor Who Review #The Star Beast Special #14th Doctor #Donna Noble

[natdafat]

Since its all done and dusted, now my thoughts on the 60th anniversary

I enjoyed them, a bit rough in parts ( I wish the second episode led more into horror than comedy), but overall, I really enjoyed it.

The main problem is the split regeneration. Not because it is dumbish but it was done poorly. Since 10/14 didn't die and become 15 it felt it really undermined 15.

It felt more that 14 was still the doctor, and 15 was the little bro who went out doing the role while they relaxed,them also getting a tardis, uneeded.

I would have done it differently, so still two doctors but once it was all done and the day was saved, and they were able to properly say goodbye 14 would have become time energy and faded away leaving 15

#doctor who spoilers #10th doctor #doctor who #14th doctor #15th doctor #doctor who 60th spoilers #doctor who 60th anniversary #doctor who review

[cillacantstudysosheshere]

Doctor Who The Star Beast Review

I liked the first doctor who special. I loved seeing the Noble Family, I ADORED the Meep and the new gorgeous Tardis. The aliens felt like drwho aliens without having horrible CGI (yes I love it too but let's be real). I looooved all the references: the Temple Noble line, the mentioning of Nerys, the wig moment as an homage to classic who, the fact that Donna's daughter chose the name Rose, all her plushies of the drwho aliens and so on. David and Catherine's chemistry is unreal, they are their characters it's insane...they have always been my favourite duo and having them back is a gift and it makes me so emotional so I don't feel like complaining at ALL...but there are still some things I didn't love.

I liked that the trans storyline is a big part of this episode but personally I appreciate it more when certain topics are explained in a more natural way but then again, there are people who don't get it and the show is now on disney plus so I guess they handled certain topics it in a way that could resonate to a larger target audience. I loved that the fact that she is trans is not the first thing we learn about Rose, we find out in a very normal way and I liked the pronoun conversation because it felt very real, what I didn't really like was the binary/non binary parallel of donna's line, it didn't really work for me it felt a little strange.

What I didn't like at all was the "a male presenting time lord could never understand" line because no...I will do a separate post about it because the problem is not the intention behind Donna and Rose's actions...it's the line...that line is an absolute no.

That being said DrWho is back and I am curious to see what will happen next. I am not too afraid of the idea of a new era, I'm happy that now that it's on disney more people will know about it and love it. When you change platform it is expected to have some changes and to be honest who cares, it's great that doctor who wants to be different for new fans and I am curious to see how it will move forward. Right now it feels nostalgic but it's when we'll say goodbye to David and Catherine that we'll actually see how this new direction is affecting the show. For now I'm really excited about the other specials, I can't wait to sob when I'll see Wilf.

#doctor who #drwho #dr who fandom #doctor who special #dr who analysis #david tennant #catherine tate #14th doctor #the star beast #whoniverse #rose noble #the meep #russel t davies #tardis #doctor who review #doctor who analysis

[renehta]

I loved Wild Blue Yonder so much! What an amazing episode. The practical effects are stunning and the chemistry between Donna and The Doctor is so enjoyable to watch.

#Doctor who #Doctor who review #Donna and the doctor #Doctor who Anniversary Special #Wild blue yonder #Doctor who wild blue Yonder #Youtube

[nellie-elizabeth]

Doctor Who: The Giggle (2023 Special 3)

Well... I'm having some feelings!

 Cons:

Last week's special was about as perfect an episode as I could have imagined, so some of my complaints about this one are just in how it compares with the last one. I thought the tension and threat to Donna and the Doctor was so expertly portrayed in the last episode, that in this one, when once again there's a beat where the bad guy separates them to subject them to separate psychological tortures, it felt like a less-good retread of what we saw last time.

In general, I think this episode might have been served better with an entirely original bad guy instead of a callback to old-school Doctor Who. Maybe that's not very in keeping with the spirit of things, I know this is a show with a long history and it's fun to do callbacks, but the episode had to sit there and explain why we should be afraid of the Toymaker, and that felt like it undercut the threat. I shouldn't need to have exposition explain to me that this bad guy is super bad, more bad than most of the badness we have to face. I should just be able to feel that. And I did, with the concept of the creepy doll with the arpeggio laugh. It's almost like the episode would have worked without a puppet master behind it at all?

The moment where I was especially like... "huh" was when the Doctor, fairly early on in the episode, is like "what am I without all the gadgets and confidence..." it felt so unearned, since we don't have this longstanding history with him and the Toymaker to understand why he's so shaken by this.

I liked the little recap that the Toymaker did of the things that the Doctor has been through since the last time he was with Donna, but I was also pretty irritated by it for a couple reasons. One, you can't just cut Rory out and only mention Amy, that's fuckin' rude. And two, the emphasis of the pattern here, that the Doctor meets a young woman and then something tragic happens to her and he's forced to move on, just made me angry at Moffat all over again? It felt pointed and strange that the Thirteenth Doctor's companions, all of whom went on to live full and happy lives after knowing her, don't get mentioned. I get why the Toymaker wouldn't mention them, because he's making a point about all the loss the Doctor has suffered. But why don't they get a mention later on? Why doesn't the Doctor tell Donna: not every goodbye has been an abjectly miserable one, some of them have been a gentler sort of sadness? It felt strange not to give everyone their due, if you're going to mention so many of the companions in a row like that.

I don't mind the bi-generation thing, I have a lot of positive things to say about our new Doctor and his first moments on screen, but I think being able to duplicate the TARDIS felt a little... cheap to me. Kind of a "have your cake and eat it too" situation. I know it would have been repetitive to have a David Tennant Doctor retire with a companion after losing all his Doctor-ness, like what happened with TenToo, but something a little more similar to that would have made more sense? Like, maybe he's still the Doctor but he doesn't have his time machine, and that's sad, but there's the potential that future Doctors might come by and visit. As it is, even in the little epilogue moment we see that he's romping around having adventures again, and it undercuts the retirement idea just a lil bit.

I don't know where to put this so I guess it's going in "cons", but Mel being in the story didn't really seem to add anything? I liked the one moment where Donna was like "you never talk about her, is that what you do, you just keep moving on and on and on and never talking about the past?" but it felt like it could have been accomplished without bringing in an old companion. Again, this is just a modern-Who-watcher's perspective, I'm sure it was a lot of fun for people who had familiarity with that character. I didn't have a problem with her being there precisely, it just didn't really add a ton!

Pros:

I really liked the basic conceit of the threat in this one. Basically an ear worm that gets into all of humanity that makes them belligerent, makes them believe that their opinions are the truth and that nobody else's input matters. This is a little on the nose, not the most complex of messages, but this is a family show, and I think the lesson is an apt one. The internet allows people to be anonymous, and also allows for immediate, reactive connection all across the world. There are huge gifts that this offers, but also huge problems. I really liked the moment when Kate Stewart is taken over by the effect briefly and ends up being really ableist to Shirley, basically accusing her of faking her disability because "I've seen her stand up before!!" It's so important and so rare to see a character on TV who is using a mobility aid but isn't fully paralyzed; that's true of most people using mobility aids, actually, and there's a fundamental misunderstanding about this. When under the effects of the giggle, Kate's mind takes her to the most uncharitable possible explanation, turning something that she probably just doesn't understand or hasn't been taught, into fear and mistrust. That's a really important thing for people to be on the lookout for!

On that note, it was fun to see Shirley again, and Kate, and just be there with the UNIT team. I love any time that the Doctor has to grapple with his... organizational authority, if that makes sense? When he's on Earth, he has this position of command with UNIT that he would never truly choose for himself but that he is in fact very good at, in a way that's almost sinister. That beat where he gives them permission to take down a foreign satellite is chilling, because the Doctor is in fact a literal alien from another planet who has authority over a group of humans who have the capacity to cause international incidents if they want or need to. I felt like this episode did a lot with a little, in honoring the gravity of that.

I would also be remiss not to point out that Neil Patrick Harris did seem to be having a TON of fun as the Toymaker and despite my problems thematically with this character's inclusion, I still had a blast watching him. The imagery of him with the marionette strings, the creepy puppets that Donna had to fight, the repeated echo of "oh, well that's alright then," when the Doctor insisted that his companions were not technically dead, or that their deaths were bearable for some reason... I loved all of that. Also the petulance of the ending, his insistence on trying to wiggle around his own rules... all very fun and over the top. The creepy puppets in general just added a ton to this episode.

So... here's the thing. I've seen the bi-generation aspect, the fact that Ncuti Gatwa's regeneration went down the way it did, getting a lot of negative feedback from people. I want to leave room for that very legitimate negative feedback. I totally see the argument. This regeneration into the Fifteenth Doctor breaks the pattern in all sorts of ways. He has to share the screen with the Doctor he's supposed to be taking over from, he has to spend his first few minutes as the character not as the sole focus. He doesn't get the traditional alone-on-screen celebration/freak-out as he tries to figure out who he's going to be next. I could definitely see someone feeling really irritated that this new Doctor's first major character beat is comforting the other Doctor on screen, instead of getting to take the stage on his own, so to speak.

I get it, I do. I even said above that I wish the two Doctors thing had been a little less of a copout, with Fourteen getting to keep the TARDIS and all that. But, that being said... I want to offer a counterargument. Yes, Gatwa's first scenes as the Doctor break the tradition of other regenerations, but they break the traditions in such a way that we actually get to know him a little bit at the end of the previous Doctor's goodbye? This is smart for two reasons. One, we already did the big sad sendoff of David Tennant's Doctor and I can still hear his sad little "I don't wanna go" echoing in my heart when I go to sleep at night, thank you so much. So we don't actually need to watch this man's face turn into someone else's again. Breaking the pattern was a welcome idea. And two...

This man is about to be the Doctor for hopefully a fair few seasons of television, and let me tell you, I'm already SO excited about it. I love his energy, I love the way he calls people pet names, I love his confidence and I love his compassion. This episode isn't for him, it's for the Fourteenth Doctor. Same way every other regeneration episode has been about saying goodbye to the current iteration and giving a teasing cameo of the new. Right? So the fact that we get to see what we do of Fifteen, and the one big character moment we're given for him is him turning to Fourteen, turning to himself, and pulling him into a big, comforting hug?

Do you understand what a sigh of relief I let out? After Capaldi and Whittaker and then Tennant (Round 2), we've had a lot of very angry and/or traumatized Doctors on our screen. This character has been through the wringer lately, and I know that will always be a part of his journey, absolutely. But this exuberance, this joy, and most importantly, this compassion for the self, is such a glorious, much-needed element in the story right now. We have this neat trick where because the Doctor is going to retire with Donna now, his grieving and processing will get to happen. We honor the need for this person to get some rest and try and figure out next steps. And at the same time, we now know that we have a Doctor who is not filled with self-loathing, who can honor his grief but also continue on and have adventures and meet new people and continue on the legacy of this show. It's a wonderful introduction to Gatwa's version of the Doctor. It gives me so much more to go on than the typical one minute long cameo we get at the end of a regeneration episode.

So like, I get the complaint, I understand that maybe it feels like it's undercutting Ncuti Gatwa's big introductory moment. But honestly, I think in breaking the mold and doing something totally different, I'm going to be remembering his first few minutes as the Doctor WAY more than I remember anybody else's. I don't remember the first things that Matt Smith's or Peter Capaldi's Doctors got up to, honestly. But here, we have our new Doctor immediately connecting with/playing off of characters we're already emotionally invested in. It works remarkably well and felt like a much more solid bridge between the current iteration and the next! I get sad when one version of the Doctor leaves and a new one shows up, because even if I like the new iteration, it feels like a show has ended and a new one has started. That's both a good and a bad thing when it comes to the legacy and longevity of this show. This felt more like the Eccleston to Tennant regeneration, where the show's continuity carried straight on in a seamless line. And I for one was a fan of it!

It's objectively very funny that Russell T. Davies is so in love with his own characters that he gets too sad about separating them and therefore hands out David Tennants to them just to make it all okay... like, Rose has TenToo and now Donna gets to keep the Doctor, ostensibly for the rest of her life? She gets the thing that no companion before her has ever gotten, to stay the dear and constant friend of the Doctor and not have to look back wistfully on the years of adventure that are now over? Donna, Donna, the companion who got THE most tragic ending of any companion in all of contemporary Doctor Who, and she gets to have this? I don't care if it's cheesy, and despite my earlier complaints that maybe it's a little too neat and tidy, I'm honestly floating on cloud nine about it over here. What a beautiful story.

That final scene of the Doctor surrounded by family, getting to be a part of Donna's family, getting to rest, sneaking his niece off on fun (safe) adventures, it's so healing. This is a fun show, about wacky adventures, but the trauma of the Doctor's nature, his immortality, the constant fluctuations in his identity and personality while his memory carries on, it adds a dark element that can never be totally erased. So to give us the continuation of the fun adventures with our brand new Doctor, who we'll all be excited to meet more fully in the Christmas Special, while also saying: hey, some heavy stuff has gone down. It's okay to rest. To process. And to show the Doctor, not bored or restless or dissatisfied with a quieter life, but happy? Genuinely, no holds barred, happy, with his best friend in the whole world?

Anyway I'm getting weepy just thinking about it.

This wasn't my favorite of the three specials, that has to be last week's astonishing outing. But as a farewell for David Tennant and Donna, and an intro for our Fifteenth Doctor, I'm honestly overwhelmingly pleased! Sometimes it's okay to give the characters on your family sci-fi adventure show a soft epilogue. They've suffered so much, and they deserve it.

8/10

#review #doctor who #doctor who review #dw #doctor who special

[computerything]

I like Doctor Who, but have only seen the reboot. Russell T Davies' term as show runner is my favorite personally, Moffat's I generally liked but don't rewatch very often [with the exception of World Enough and Time, which is very dear to me], and Chibnall's had quite a bit of potential and good ideas but failed to pay off and felt a little disorganized overall.

Much of the internet was extremely critical of Chibnall's term as showrunner. While much of this was blown out of proportion, his era did have significant flaws, such as setting up The Lone Cyberman but providing almost zero payoff, trying to cram in too many plotlines during S13: Flux, the infamous and rather gimmicky Timeless Child, teasing but doing nothing with the romance between Yazmin and the Doctor, and of course the entirety of Legend of the Sea Devils.

This is not to illegitimatize Chibnall by any means. After all, he got the show through the pandemic, tried some new things, and had quite a few good ideas going. Though his era is nonetheless a bit of a downgrade in writing, it was by no means unwatchable and at the very least fun to mentally play around with.

I personally was very excited, though a bit nervous, for the return of RTD. Excited because, as I mentioned before, he is my favorite showrunner, and nervous as I feared that bringing back he and David Tennant was just a hollow bit of fanservice from the BBC following Chibnall's reception and would be disappointing.

However, I did rather enjoy The Star Beast, the first of the series of specials featuring David Tennant and Catherine Tate. It was not a particularly excellent episode compared to RTD's earlier work, but it was an improvement from the Flux's disorganization and the generally somewhat lacking writing of Chibnall's run.

The biggest issues I saw were that jokes sometimes felt a bit half assed, some plot points felt only halfway resolved, and the Doctor was seemingly portrayed as more of an idiot than usual. However, this did not create a particularly unpleasant viewing experience, and the episode generally felt like RTD's previous era. Though I theorize that much of this can be chalked up to needing to resettle into writing Doctor Who again.

Overall, I have good hopes for the new era of Who and generally enjoyed the recent episode despite its flaws.

#doctor who #dw #dw the star beast #doctor who the star beast #doctor who review

[a-random-whovian7]

Arachnids in the UK is such a wierd episode for me. It's terribly paced, completely botches its own message, has waaay too many characters, fails to explain several key plot points and just generally fails at everything.

So why on earth is it my most rewatched episode of 13, even more so than the genuinely brilliant Haunting of Villa Diodati?

I can't help but absolutely love it. I genuinely get so much enjoyment out of this episode despite everyone calling it a disaster. I love how corny it is. I love how hilarious the villain is and how Chibnall wasn't afraid to hide who he was mocking. I absolutely fucking adore that there is a scene of CGI spooders marching in time to Stormzy. The whole thing is just so much fun, it's just great to put it on and enjoy.

The brilliant thing is that it sums up what I love about Doctor Who. Even if the story is Not Great ™, chances are you'll still have a great time. It's why I'll still willingly watch Time Flight, Timelash, Time and the Rani and any other episode beginning with the word "Time", it's just sometimes fun to stop being serious, turning your brain off and enjoying the ride. The only episodes I struggle with are the ones that are genuinely boring ones like The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos, The Romans, The Timeless Child, The Keys of Marinus or *shudders* Legend of the Sea Devils, and Arachnids is definitely not one of them.

So please, I'm begging you, give this episode a second chance. Yes it's a 4/10, but it's the best 4/10 episode you will ever see. I genuinely think this will become a future cult classic, I love it so much.

#doctor who #chibnall era #13th doctor #doctor who review #i love doctor who #doctor who 60th anniversary #jodie whittaker #disasterpiece