DOCTOR WHO: "Deep Breath" (SPOILERS)

Richards · Aug 25, 2014

I'm a little surprised someone hasn't started a thread on this, given that the premiere was last night. (Or is everybody waiting for the theatrical release tomorrow night?)

In any case, for those who have seen it (and those who are willing to peek at the thread and possibly get spoiled as to the contents): what did you think?

I thought the story was only about average, given that it was something of a "rerun." But I enjoyed the return of Madame Vastra, Jenny, and Strax (especially Strax). I thought Peter Capaldi did a fine job as a "post-regeneration, brain-scrambled" Doctor this episode, and am looking forward to his "Okay, the regeneration confusion is past now and this is how I'm going to be playing the role" version. And there were some fantastic lines in this episode, my favorite being an outraged Clara's "Nothing's more important than my egotism!" (I think my second favorite was the Doctor's "I hate being wrong in public -- everybody forget I said that!")

I guess we're to assume that the TARDIS extended its protective bubble around the Tyrannosaurus as it brought her through time? Because my understanding that the only way Captain Jack Harkness survived the trip on the outside of the TARDIS was due to his immortality and inability to be permanently killed. (Clara recently survived a trip on the outside of the TARDIS, but only because the TARDIS was actively protecting her.)

Matt Smith's appearance at the end was a surprise.

And for those of you who watched the "After Who" special which aired after "The Intruders" (I didn't bother watching that), it was cool seeing "Dub-Dub" from "The Middleman" again.

I'm looking forward to next week's Dalek episode.

Final thought: for those of you who end up seeing this episode at the theater, there's supposed to be an extra scene at the beginning. Anybody care to let us know what that was about?

Johnathan

Morrus · Aug 25, 2014

The cinema release was simulcast yesterday at the same time as the episode.

The extra scene was Strax summarising all the Doctors with some jokes at each's expense.

I enjoyed it, though origin stories (inc. regen confusion stores) are too familiar. Too much allusion to topical politics with the Scottish referendum next month. And the Paternostas need to be a kids' TV show to replace SJA ASAP.

As a side note, the tramp he got the coat from was Elizabeth Sladen's husband.

Who do folks think the woman at the end was?

trappedslider · Aug 25, 2014

I think it left a few more questions than just "Who is Missy?" such as “Who frowned me this face?”

Which means that instead of randomly making a face for the new Doctor it was chosen for some reason, which I look forward to seeing if it's a season lone arc or just a few episodes. Both Moffat and RTD have a plan and I am excited to see exactly what it is and how it affects the Whoverse.

As for Missy, she called the Doctor her Boyfriend..better not let River hear that lol. It was strongly implied that she gave Clara the number to call the Doctor last season.

Umbran · Aug 25, 2014

Morrus said:
The cinema release was simulcast yesterday at the same time as the episode.

The cinematic release in the US isn't until Monday the 25th.

Who do folks think the woman at the end was?

My top guess is that "Missy" is the intelligence behind the damaged spaceship from "The Girl In the Fireplace".

Though, with mysterious ships with names like Marie Antoinette and Madame Pompadour... I'm kind of hoping to see the Rani behind it all, maybe in another season or so...

Morrus · Aug 25, 2014

Umbran said:
The cinematic release in the US isn't until Monday the 25th.

Russia doesn't get it till next Thursday. I think Oz got it simulcasted in cinemas; not sure. I know the episode was on TV.

Morrus · Aug 25, 2014

trappedslider said:
Which means that instead of randomly making a face for the new Doctor it was chosen for some reason, which I look forward to seeing if it's a season lone arc or just a few episodes. Both Moffat and RTD have a plan and I am excited to see exactly what it is and how it affects the Whoverse.

So he was chosen because he was the right actor for the part. The face/previous roles thing will be tied in casually, but not as a big thing. As Moffat said in the cinema Q&A, everyone knows his face resembles a couple of people because it's the same actor, just like Watson looks like Bilbo. You can use a throwaway line, but they aren't going to insult the audience by pretending they had some big plan when they didn't. He said to expect a few lines here and there, but that's all.

It was strongly implied that she gave Clara the number to call the Doctor last season.

Yeah, that was fairly explicit. Interesting.

trappedslider · Aug 25, 2014

Morrus said:
So he was chosen because he was the right actor for the part. The face/previous roles thing will be tied in casually, but not as a big thing. As Moffat said in the cinema Q&A, everyone knows his face resembles a couple of people because it's the same actor, just like Watson looks like Bilbo. You can use a throwaway line, but they aren't going to insult the audience by pretending they had some big plan when they didn't. He said to expect a few lines here and there, but that's all.
.

Based on what I've read and posted way back a few months ago on this very subject, I think it's more than just a few throw away lines

In a video interview with Nerd3, Moffat mentioned that Davies had always had a reason behind Capaldi’s double-time in the Whoniverse. When the man was cast as the Twelfth Doctor, Davies called up Moffat to tell him how happy he was with the choice and according to the Moff:
“I said, ‘Okay, what was your theory and does it still work?” and he said, ‘Yes it does. Here it is…’”

But the best part is that Moffat is actually planning on using Davies’ idea. His plan for Capaldi’s Doctor is to “play that one out over time. It’s actually quite neat.”

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/10/russell-t-davies-created-a-secret-origin-for-the-12th-doctor

so it looks like everything fell into place for this plan. We shall see how it all plays out this season

also

and Trivia : The intro used was done by a fan on youtube

delericho · Aug 25, 2014

I had mixed feelings. Which meant I was disappointed on balance - though that might be my own fault for uncontrolled expectations.

In particular, I felt the extended runtime was largely wasted - it felt like they'd crammed 45 minutes of episode into a 90 minute slot. Which was a real shame, because quite often they could actually do with the extended runtime. But, like Morrus, I've seen regeneration stories several times now, and while this one was okay, it wasn't the best, and it brought very little that was new.

Morrus said:
Who do folks think the woman at the end was?

My initial guess would be the Rani, although how they'd square that with the Doctor knowing he's alone (as established wrt the Master coming back), I don't know. Perhaps she's first Time Lord to escape through the crack in reality?

The_Silversword · Aug 25, 2014

I was a little disappointed in it, I was under the impression that they was going in darker, more mature direction, but it seemed more slapstickish to me, maybe the next episode will be more to my liking, I dunno, so far im not real impressed with Capaldi's Doctor, but i guess its a little early yet to be making that call.

Umbran · Aug 25, 2014

delericho said:
My initial guess would be the Rani, although how they'd square that with the Doctor knowing he's alone (as established wrt the Master coming back), I don't know. Perhaps she's first Time Lord to escape through the crack in reality?

Meh. If there were Daleks that avoided the situation, so could the Rani.

One simple solution is this: The Doctor zapped Gallifrey away, and slapped a time lock on the whole thing. So Time Lords were off in another universe, Daleks had self-destructed, and nobody could find out why (or even mostly remember either side), and any surviving TLs or Ds were back behind the time lock (okay, so a few Daleks managed to escape).

So, say the Rani was not on Gallifrey when the Doctor zapped the planet away? She would still have been trapped behind the time lock on events (thus explaining why she hasn't shown up before). But now, that time lock is gone - everyone remembers what Time Lords are, as is clear from the siege of Trenzalore. That means anyone not on Gallifrey at the end of the Time War is now free to roam...