Who Review: The Snowmen

Sorry this review is a bit late, but as it’s Christmas and I had general Christmas goings-on happening, I’ll forgive myself. Be warned: this review pretty much entirely negative. It’s got to the stage where I write these reviews just to get the opinions off my chest, so that my friends don’t have to suffer my despair in person.

Let’s being with the introduction of Clara. Once again Moffat has presented us with a plucky, adventurous, outrageously flirty, headstrong female companion, but let’s sidestep this self-made cliché for a second and address my main gripe with the way Clara met the Doctor. I do not care how plucky/adventurous/headstrong you are… no one has a three-line conversation with a man about a snowman, and then chases down his cab and breaks through the roof. The Doctor couldn’t have just intercepted a snowman attack on her? No no, this is yet another female character who’s ‘unique’ boldness has to be shoved down our throats.  

I am choking on this old record.

Second of all, apparently the Doctor no longer gives a damn anything and lives on a cloud. Why? I know he’s just lost his beloved Ponds, but the Doctor has lost multiple companions over the years and it never stopped him caring. Rose, the human he allowed himself to fall in love with. Donna, his best friend. Sarah Jane, who’s awesomeness transcended Classic and Modern Who. I don’t mean to be rude, but what was so fantastically special about Amy and Rory that made their absence turn the Doctor into, well, an asshole. This episode is yet another example of Moffat plucking a problem out of thin air, giving it no build up, then ‘solving’ it and expecting us to care. 

On the topic of ‘ponds’, there was that “one word rule” conversation between Clara and Madame Vastra. Clara was asked to give a very detailed reason why the Doctor should help her, and she chose the word… “pond”. This word obviously holds a great relevance to the Doctor, but not to Clara. To her, it’s just a description of where her problem originates from, not a reason why she is worthy of help. 

Answer everything with one word, because I feel like being awkward today.

There seemed to be quite a lot of irrelevant details in this episode, thinly veiling a central plot that involved a lot of fast explaining and no logic. Was it really required that Clara was a barmaid at the beginning of this episode? Why was the TARDIS parked on a cloud above London, instead of its usual street corner? I get that the Doctor is supposedly in hiding but isn’t the point of the TARIDS to sit unnoticed by the general public? It all just seems like a lot of filler to pass the time until we get to some action (which took about a million years… I was beginning to get very bored). And with so many details and characters to be keeping up with, we’re left with a generous sprinkling of plot holes (memory worms; you’ll forget the last hour of your life, unless the Doctor needs you to drop off a future companion “where we found her”). The really sad thing is, the ideas behind Moffat’s episodes are generally really good. It’s just that their execution is so poor that you either don’t understand what’s happening, or forget with all the background noise. 

Can we please, please talk about that absolutely terrible Sherlock reference? It was such an obvious pandering to a certain group of Whovians (cough, Tumblr, cough) who long for a Wholock crossover. Admittedly I am among them, but the Doctor’s practically pantomime portrayal of Holmes (accompanied, even, by what sounded suspiciously like the Sherlock theme music) made me want to bang my head against the wall. There was literally no need for it; if you’re going to do a crossover, do it properly or not at all!

No! Bad Moffat!

What else was there? Oh yes, the Doctor handing over the key to the TARDIS after knowing Clara for less than 24 hours. Yes, she’s “Soufflé Girl”. Yes, they’ve technically met before. But the Doctor  hasn’t realised this at that point in the episode. It took Martha seven episodes to earn what is referred to as a “frequent fliers privilege”, and she was a companion also following a particularly harsh loss for the Doctor.  But no, apparently now TARIDS keys can be handed out to whoever. 

Once again, we have an episode with lot of background noise that badly disguises a central plot that makes little to no sense. It is only out of sheer loyalty to the show as a whole that I continue to watch what is currently being churned out.

Who Review: The Angels Take Manhattan

I absolutely bawled my eyes out at this episode. And I couldn’t be happier about that fact.

I’d seen the trailers, I knew this was the finale, last week was fairly decent, and it’s the return of the Weeping Angels. For the first time in what feels like forever I was genuinely excited about watching this week’s episode The Angels Take Manhattan, and I am ludicrously happy to say that I wasn’t let down. I didn’t even have to try to like this episode, I honestly loved it. More than one person had told me it wasn’t that great, so I was a little worried, but personally I thought it was definitely a case of save the best ‘til last. 

Whilst the introductory scene went on a little longer than I would have liked, it nevertheless was a stunning opening that gave me actual shivers. It established the threat and gave us the first in a long list of punch-in-the-gut moments; “I’m you.” Classic, concise, and followed by a short sharp chase by the most terrifying of Who monsters. Monsters that were actually doing what they were supposed to in this episode; sending people back in time to live to death, so they can feed off their time energy. Whilst I enjoyed The Forest of Angels back in season five, it did bother me that the angels were snapping necks for some unexplained reason. Here they’re farming humans for time energy, which adds something new whilst keeping them true to their original form.

Don't blink!

 I really loved the concept of the book in this episode, despite the slightly obvious “I hate endings” from the Doctor as he ripped out the last page. We know this is Amy and Rory’s last episode, no need to hang a neon sign up. Overall though, I found this to be a clever technique that for once didn’t act as a get-out-of-jail-free card for plot-holes. The book also added the dilemma of ‘fixed time’, and the issue of River’s wrist needing to be broken “because Amy read it in a book” also foreshadowed something more sinister, and highlighted the danger of ‘spoilers’. I was honestly touched when River tried to hide the fact she had broken her wrist to give the Doctor hope that Amy didn’t have to leave.

That’s another thing that this episode did exceptionally well for a change; the relationship between the Doctor and River. For the first time since Silence in the Library it felt like an actual relationship, rather than a collision of fixed fates built on cheap innuendos. Finally, this relationship feels like something real. We still got River’s cheeky personality coming through (“If it was easy I’d have asked you to do it”), but her vulnerability and genuine emotion wasn’t sacrificed in its place. This is a mature River, the River we first met in season four, and a River I actually warmed to. For the first time in too long, I care. I actually really care about these characters, which of course made the ending even more heart-breaking to watch. 

Let's keep this River. I like her.

The pacing of this episode was as close to spot-on as I think it can get at this point. There were no long dragging expositional scenes or lags in plot, but it didn’t all whiz by so quickly I couldn’t keep up. It was exciting, and my eyes were glued to the screen in a way they have not been so much as of late. Instead of just waiting for the episode to end, I was wishing it wouldn’t. 

The emotion displayed in this episode was also brilliant. And horrible. And brilliant. Both of Rory’s dying scenes (I was wondering when he was going to get around to dying in this series) had me sobbing into a pillow, and the way the Doctor loses it over Amy leaving was crushing. It was completely selfish of him to ask her to stay, to say “Come along Pond,” and expect her to walk away from her husband’s grave just like that. But it showed his human side, and with River there to encourage Amy along it really worked. I was worried for a second that it was going to be a ‘happily ever after’ ending – I’ve never been so happy to be so heartbroken. Moffat managed to kill them off, without actually killing them off. We know they led a long and happy life together, but still tinged with a tragedy that was needed to round off their story. 

 Now, there were a few things in this episode that did annoy me, as they always do. The reference to the fact that the Doctor has wiped himself off all records and now nobody knows who he is again just feels like a shortcut to put the Doctor back to square one, just in time for a new companion. And despite the fact that I really loved a more mature River Song, I was a bit confused; isn't she supposed to be getting further and further away from who she is in Silence of the Library? I thought the whole point was that we are going backwards through her timeline? Also, there’s that small issue of the Statue of Liberty having a wander across New York every now and again for an impact scare. Really? Not one single person in the city that never sleeps turned around and saw a massive stone statue frozen halfway to Winter Quay?

From http://chirravutever.tumblr.com/post/32568928253

But despite the fact that these (admittedly highly annoying) errors sadly exist, they didn’t take away the fact that overall I was very impressed with this episode. Maybe it’s because I’m slowly learning not to hold Steven Moffatt up against Russell T Davies, but the main point of the show is to entertain… and despite the fact I was in tears for half of it, I was very entertained. These issues are things I can’t usually look over, because the episodes have failed to make me feel anything about the characters. But here I was happy to nod and let things slide, as proper time was taken to make sure the reader was really sucked in to the story and able to suspend disbelief a little. Still not a great writing technique, but it's better than giving us nothing.

Roll on the Christmas special.

Who Review: Asylum of the Daleks

Contains both SPOILERS and very strong (negative) opinions on the Doctor Who episode ‘Asylum of the Daleks’.  You are allowed to disagree with me. That’s what is great about opinions; everyone gets their own. 

If you, like me, hated this episode, you can also read Alex Day's review here if you haven't already. He makes a lot of very accurate points. As does this review, which brings up a lot of points I missed.

I wasn’t entirely sure if I was going to do Doctor Who reviews this year, but after watching ‘Asylum of the Daleks’ I just had too many thoughts not to share them with the internet. I may or may not continue with these; I have finally learnt my lesson about promising things to this blog.

I have mixed feelings about the newest offering, but sadly the majority of these feelings are negative. I spent the majority of this episode hating everything about it, only for there to be a few redeeming factors nearer the end. Unfortunately, I don’t like to spend an entire episode glowering moodily at my TV screen. I want it to capture me and whisk me away to Whodom, maybe keeping me in the dark and definitely keeping me on my toes… but not keeping me in a state of annoyance. 

Let us start with the sudden return to the frankly terrible CGI of series one of New Who.  Back in 2005 it was entirely excusable, as it was a new show again and probably had a smaller budget. But now? You can’t get away with those shoddy telescope heads, guys. You just can’t. 

If you are a seasoned fan (such as myself), you probably saw the set photos of Rory storming out on Amy. You are perhaps even the type of fan who was building up for a gut-wrenching, soul-destroying event that ripped the Pond family apart and scattered it on the floor along with what would be left of your heart… only to get first no explanation, and then the very poor explanation of ‘life happens’.  That works for minor characters that the audience isn’t invested in, having seen them fight (and die) for each other on multiple occasions. We need so much more than ‘life happens’.

I've been preparing my fangirl heart months in advance for nothing!

 Also, the fact that Amy is a model now bugs me. I feel that to be an entirely unnecessary plot point, one that was written in just because Karen Gillian is playing Amy. We get it, she's hot. We can get our fill of Gillian hotness from her photoshoots as an actress.

The Doctor sums up everyone’s thoughts on the Dalek’s suddenly asking him for help… “This is new.” Damn right it’s new, Doctor. They just rewrote the Dalek’s entire personality. And not even in the same awesome way as they did back in ‘Daleks in Manhattan’ where there is a) a huge build up, b) a big reveal and c) a path of logic leading up to the event. We know exactly why the Dalek’s want the Doctor’s help, and why they saw the need for merging Dalek and human DNA. Here there are (suddenly) hundreds of Dalek’s all nice and cosy on a spaceship with a range of new powers. What exactly do you need the Doctor’s help for then? Already I’m a sceptic, and that’s not good.

I’m not going to even begin to talk about how the Doctor then just helps them. His greatest enemies, the race that eliminated his own… and he just helps them. Because they ask. They didn’t even say please. I know, I know, they force him into the Asylum along with Amy and Rory. But right before that he’s brainstorming ideas how to help them, talking of task forces and generally just being a big ole’ lovely to them. WHAT ARE YOU DOING. 

We interrupt this episode of Doctor Who to bring you Matrix Rory. Sure. Also is it just me, or from this point on does this slowly begin to feel like an episode of that ancient show ‘The Crystal Maze’?

To the Crystal Dome, Neo!

On to Oswin, our newest Who companion. Now, I was really looking forward to the reveal of Jenna Louise Coleman, and I was thoroughly disappointed with her random introduction when there was already quite a lot to be going on with. This, I feel, is Moffat’s biggest flaw; his rule seems to be throw everything in at once to make up for the gaping plot holes and bounding leaps over important events (cough, Amy and Rory’s divorce, cough). I was beginning to warm to her character and was suitably intrigued as to where/when she has come from. I also loved how she is possibly the first person in Whodom to meet the Doctor and not trust him immediately with her life. Unfortunately, all her mystery vanished completely upon the revelation that she is in fact a Dalek (side note: how was her voice coming through as ‘human’ over the speakers? If she had a full conversion, her only voice should have been her Dalek voice. What? What?).  I can only take consolation in the fact that I know she will be back (as she is set to be the next companion), but I am so much more ‘meh’ about her than I was before. 

Got milk?

 Can we please now talk about how Oswin deleted the Doctor from the memory of the ENTIRE DALEK RACE?! And I know it gives us all the chance to bounce up and down and go “They said the thing! They said the thing!” when character’s chant “Doctor who? Doctor who?” over and over, but this is getting old. And it very much wasn’t worth the tiny thrill it gave me this time; the Dalek’s don’t know who the Doctor is? As a plot point they exist only as the Doctor’s enemy! You can’t just brush them under the carpet like that!

Overall, I was thoroughly underwhelmed with the opening episode to series seven. I just wish that they would put Moffat back on monster duty where he does an exceptional job, and doesn’t make me want to throw my Doctor Who charm bracelet in the nearest river. Next week: space dinosaurs. If I can muster up the effort, I guess I’ll talk about how ridiculous that is later. 

Let's Kill Hitler (Or Just Put Him in the Cupboard): Doctor Who Review

** CONTAINS SPOILERS **

For those who were not aware, as well as being a huge Potterhead I also consider myself to be a fairly hardcore Doctor Who fan (or ‘Whovian’ for those familiar with the term).  I recently commissioned a very cool charm bracelet off of Etsy.com on a Doctor Who theme. You can call me a geek all you like, but I have already received several compliments and I love it to pieces.

Eleventh Doctor, Amy Pond, TARDIS, Weeping Angel, Dalek

Seeing as my blog has been distinctly inactive all summer (I know, I’m sorry) and that the second half of Doctor Who series 6  started on Saturday, I thought I’d give the internet the benefit of my thoughts on each episode. This is mostly to get myself back into blogging regularly, but also because I think if I try and talk to my friends about my opinions on the subject one more time they might disown me.

Kicking off with episode one, “Let’s Kill Hitler”, and I’m sorry to say I was actually less than impressed.

There were three main things I took issue with in this episode, the first being that the entire episode was answer, answer, answer. For me the only redeeming thing about the character of River Song was the air of mystery that surrounded her. It was endearing, and put the Doctor on edge in a way he usually isn’t. He didn’t know who she was, and that made for some excellent chemistry between the two characters. I really love the idea of River… but aside the series 4 double episodes “Silence in the Library” and “Forrest of the Dead”, her personality really grates on me. I’m not even going to get started on the inappropriate and, for the Doctor, out-of-character flirting that goes on. In front of her parents no less, something that they may not know but she sure does. Now her mystery is almost entirely gone. We know she’s Amy and Rory’s daughter, we know that she has Time Lord DNA, we know the reason we never see her regenerate after she does from Mels (a character I will come to shortly). There’s hardly any mystery left in her anymore, and for a character I have a love/hate relationship with anyway, this just pushes her more in the red.



Can't help but question if this shot was really necessary...

 Another thing about the opening episode that I really disliked was the character of Mels. Or rather, not the character but the way that she was simply thrown in for this episode but is shown to be a friend to Amy and Rory from very early on. The flashback scenes of young Amy and Rory were wonderful for the most part, exactly how you’d have imagined their childhood days to have been like. A particular favourite of mine was a young Rory coming into Amy’s bedroom, dejectedly stating “I thought we were playing hide and seek. I’ve been hiding for hours.” The character of Mels herself wasn’t bad. A sassy, over-confident and rebellious friend to both Amy and Rory, not to mention a perfect fit to regenerate into who we know as River Song. But the revelation that she indeed was Amy’s daughter Melody all along sort of flops on screen as she is not an established character. There has been absolutely no mention of her before this episode, but she is supposedly a lifelong friend of the two companions. It wasn’t so much “Oh my goodness!” as “What just happened here?” This would have worked so much better if it had been thought of last series, so we could catch a glimpse of her (even a mention would have been nice) before this “big” revelation.

Finally, this episode is another classic example of how Head Writer Moffat tries to cram in too much at once. With such a striking, speculation inducing title and a very delicate interesting concept to play with, fans of the show were probably expecting to see more of Hitler than about five minutes at the beginning before Rory is told to “put Hitler in that cupboard”. While this was indeed comical, this is the last we see of him. The idea of the Doctor meeting Hitler had the potential to be another brilliant utilitarian versus deontological head battle, after series 4’s “The Fires of Pompeii”, but was reduced to a couple of one-liners for the sake of comedy. A better developed storyline was sacrificed for the sake of the anti-body robots and miniature space police inside a human-sized morphing robot. I’m not saying this idea wasn’t good; on the contrary. It was so good it could have held itself in its own episode, with a more developed plotline. I don’t know what happened on the cutting room floor for this episode, but it almost felt like two storylines had accidentally been spliced together.



I still wonder who let him out of the cupboard in the end



As I have said many times to literally anybody that will listen (and even to those whose eyes glaze over as soon as I approach the subject), I love Moffat for his plots, his characters, his villains and his hilarious one-liners. He’s a fantastic ideas man, and his stand alone episodes in past series (Blink, and the Weeping Angels? Genius) are some of my absolute favorites. But unfortunately, for me, his writing is jerky, flows poorly, and leaves a lot to be desired. “Let’s Kill Hitler” is a classic example of this. Aside from the one-liners, for me this episode’s only plus point was the fact that Matt Smith’s Doctor finally seems to remember his past companions, in the form of the TARDIS’s hologram. Most fans were beginning to wonder if he’d suffered a hit to the head shortly after regenerating causing him to forget about Rose, Martha and Donna completely.

The trailer for this Saturday’s (3^rd September) episode “Night Terrors” looks a lot more promising, looking like it will play to Moffat’s strengths; one-shot episodes about things that go bump in the night. He always creates wonderfully scary Who monsters, and your classic hide-behind-the-sofa episodes. I am a huge fan of the Silence and the Weeping Angels, so am very much looking forward to this Saturday evening!