Spoilers Doctor Who 2024 (spoilers)

[Bedrockgames]

We just finished The Pandorica Opens (part one of the two part finale). Wow this season is so great in hindsight. I'd say it has the most solid episodes of any of the previous seasons in my opinion. It also look good too in terms of the HD and effects (I think sometimes that isn't the best thing for the show, as it steers it away from dialogue and towards more action, but here it works). I wasn't sure how I was going to react to the whole Rory arc here. I remembered it but it had been so long. I think this is a case where that sort of thing is done well. Normally not a big fan of that type of plot. Here his return felt appropriately weird and unnerving. Also this is a season where the build up to the finale actually works for me (much of the time with this show, I find all that build up leads to something either underwhelming or off, here I liked it). Also the episodes all stand pretty well one their own (minus one or two). I was surprised how much I liked the Lodger this time around. The first time I saw it I had no idea who James Corden was and I remember finding his character annoying. This time, I liked the love story and it was an interesting Smith performance in a fun story (plus giving amy control of the TARDIS for a bit was cool). Vincent and the Doctor still holds up. My wife loves Van Gogh and this episode landed with her. I thought the way they handled the mental illness was good too (it didn't shy away from the darkness of it, but it also did it with a lot of empathy). Plus that ending is very moving. The concept of the episode was nice as well and I like how they tied Vincent's visions to the final episodes.

 

[The Soloist]

I fell asleep during the last episode. It's been several weeks now. I'm not tempted to watch it again. Dr Who is a go for me.

 

[Zaukrie]

Just watched the Church of Ruby Rose....so we're almost here....and I like this Dr right now....

 

[Bedrockgames]

Me and the wife got up through Cold War of Series 7. I have to say one thing I am noticing on this repeat viewings is how much more I am enjoying the 'filler episodes'. I didn't really remember thinking much of cold war, and it isn't stellar episode, but I enjoyed it a lot as an episodic adventure. I think being less invested in the seasonal arc makes a big difference.

 

[Staffan]

Me and the wife got up through Cold War of Series 7. I have to say one thing I am noticing on this repeat viewings is how much more I am enjoying the 'filler episodes'. I didn't really remember thinking much of cold war, and it isn't stellar episode, but I enjoyed it a lot as an episodic adventure. I think being less invested in the seasonal arc makes a big difference.

I've long been a proponent of the idea that "filler" is really nothing of the sort. The "non-important" episodes are the ones where we get to know our characters and learn to care about them, which is how the "big" episodes get their heft. I think that in general, Buffy seasons 1-3 have the ideal ratio of plot to filler.

 

[Bedrockgames]

So we have made it through season 7 and finished the 50th anniversary special. This is my second time around on these episodes and my wife's first. My impression of series seven is the big weakness was the condensed storytelling format they were shooting for. I also think the split season between companions made both storylines feel a little too brisk. not as strong as Smith's first two seasons but still not bad. It just didn't feel as well realized as it could have been (I think there was a lot of potential this season that didn't feel realized and I think the finale had a lot of missteps). That said I did appreciate the atmosphere of the finale this time around. I liked the whole Trenzalore graveyard thing. Again through that would have benefited from more two parters in the lead up. I also never understood why they start that episode with the reveal about Clara (the opening feels really glib about a big plot point, and it takes away from her jumping into his timeline scar). It is also an episode where some of the manic writing tendencies of the Moffat Era (something I usually like about him) creates confusion (which is only made worse by the condensed storytelling and not giving these episodes more room to breath). Still mostly an entertaining season for me

The 50th anniversary was much better than I remembered it being. maybe a little overly self celebratory but that is kind of the point of this sort of special.

On a side note, the doctor who seasons on Amazon are a complete mess. If I hadn't seen these episodes when they aired, I can't imagine how I would navigate purchasing them in order. You can buy complete seasons, but crucial episodes are packaged in separately and often not easy to find (and when you do find something like the 50th anniversary, it is listed with all the extras individually, so the 50th is episode 8 of a whole set of special features). The end result is someone might buy all the seasons and miss episodes like the 50th anniversary and the Time of the Doctor.

My wife isn't a who fan so this is all her first time. The comedy of the Smith era landed really well with her. I think Amy landed better with her than Clara. And she absolutely hates Dalek episodes. She rolls her eyes every time a dalek shows up

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

My wife isn't a who fan so this is all her first time. The comedy of the Smith era landed really well with her. I think Amy landed better with her than Clara. And she absolutely hates Dalek episodes. She rolls her eyes every time a dalek shows up

I started watching modern Who again a few weeks ago because there were chunks I had never seen and just got to the end of Jodie's 2nd season, and yeah, I am so tired of Daleks and Cybermen and the Master. I am glad they have said there will be no Daleks or Cybermen during the current while Ncuti is the Doctor.

 

[Staffan]

So we have made it through season 7 and finished the 50th anniversary special. This is my second time around on these episodes and my wife's first. My impression of series seven is the big weakness was the condensed storytelling format they were shooting for. I also think the split season between companions made both storylines feel a little too brisk. not as strong as Smith's first two seasons but still not bad. It just didn't feel as well realized as it could have been (I think there was a lot of potential this season that didn't feel realized and I think the finale had a lot of missteps).

I think it's rather telling that some of the least good (at least from my POV) seasons have been the ones where they've messed around with the format. Season 7 was really two half-seasons (5 episodes in fall 2012, 8 more in spring 2013, with half a year in between) and deliberately didn't do two-parters or episodes that died deeply into the lore; Season 11 was reduced to 10 episodes and again deliberately avoided lore, and 13 was the Fluxx nonsense.

 

[Riley]

I am glad they have said there will be no Daleks or Cybermen during the current while Ncuti is the Doctor.

Have they really said that for all of Ncuti’s eventual tenure? That would be pretty bold.

And welcome.

 

[Bedrockgames]

I think it's rather telling that some of the least good (at least from my POV) seasons have been the ones where they've messed around with the format. Season 7 was really two half-seasons (5 episodes in fall 2012, 8 more in spring 2013, with half a year in between) and deliberately didn't do two-parters or episodes that died deeply into the lore; Season 11 was reduced to 10 episodes and again deliberately avoided lore, and 13 was the Fluxx nonsense.

Generally I think this is the case. The whole 'condensed storytelling' thing felt very off when I first watched season 7, and this time around it still felt off (even if I was a little more okay with it simply because i knew it was coming). But the show absolutely needs two-parters to work in certain parts of the seasons. Some changes can be good. The show got glossier in the Matt Smith era, but I kind of like the glossier look and feel. I think the more dramatic music worked for me as well (the only misstep here I think was giving clara that theme: it just made her feel too precious). But I suppose that isn't so much about format as style.