Post by chuck on Aug 29, 2013 8:35:41 GMT -5
With this thread I am trying to find episodes of Moffat DW that were good. It's widely known that hate his version of DW, can't wait for him to leave and hate his companions and his choice of actor. I'm glad Matt's leaving and can't stand his acting in most of the stories, if they can be called that.
For this thread, I'm trying to find the good among the ^%$#. This will be from memory rather than rewatching the worst three seasons of DW ever. While I think that there might be some moments among even the poorest of episodes, I do not want to cover those here, there's not many and they are fewer and fewer as we go from season five to season six. Seven has more episodes that are better but when they were bad, they were really bad. In any case...some of the ideas in the first three stories of season five had merit and even aroused some excitement...until they were seen to their bitter ends.
In any case, after three very disappointing "stories" that were so poor, we were given what I thought was "GOOD" DW. This would be: THE TIME OF THE ANGELS. Immediately this story loses points though for two things: having River in it (although she is used well in this section) and for that stupid TARDIS brake joke. It's not funny, it's badly acted, and poor. Mind you, this episode--and I'll be looking at it apart from the second and worse part of it FLESH AND STONE----perhaps Moffat can start a story ---or his writers can---but not bring it to satisfactory finishes most of the time. This might be said of other DW stories: loved the first two episodes of STONES OF BLOOD but the other two? Not as good. Still nothing in those two episodes are as bad as most of Moffat's. In any case, the first section of this story is quite good. It felt like DW was back and on target. We had: a great location, great effects, and scary sequences regarding the angels. And members of my family who saw this part liked it and wanted to see the second part and felt that---they don't like Matt at all either---Matt was good here (perhaps for the first time) AND that Amy was smart (she's usually not) in trying to close one eye only and keep the other one open.
The angels are changed, yeah. I always felt they'd be more scary in BLINK if they could rip you apart. That didn't bother me much here. Nor did the fact that they could talk through poor dead soldiers (Bob?). It also didn't bother me that Moffat seemed to be using things from FOREST OF THE DEAD/SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY. River was even used well. This part actually rocked. Matt was good, even though he had another of those ridiculous speeches, this one being about putting him in a trap. He was okay during the entire episode. I really liked this and couldn't wait for the conclusion. Pity about that conclusion. This episode, however, was clear cut and logical and scary and well done. The music was good, if not a stand out score like most of Murray's earlier stuff. I liked this...a lot.
The next good episode was VAMPIRES OF VENICE. Okay, this might be traditional DW but what's wrong with that? We have a few jokes that work here (unlike most of Moffat Era jokes which flat out do not) and good characterization. I can even ignore the annoying "Oh my god, Vampires" and "I know!" glee that the Doc and Amy show ---reminded me of the equally annoying 10th/Rose interplay in TOOTH AND CLAW (but at least they got their comeuppance). Both Rory and Amy are well used and again, they seem to be actionary rather than reactionary and they really do seem to care about each other. Rory is a rather good companion when he's not complaining too much---alittle bit like here---is funny---and when he's not dying. They were just starting to get his character going when they killed him that Silurian mess. In any case, the deaths seemed real, the mystery of what these things were was well done, and again, the location/setting was fantastic. The Doc introducing them to time travel in the past was well done and there was plenty of action. The villains were sort of dimensional and rather nasty at times. I really liked it. Then came the scenes to next week and THAT looked good, too!
AMY'S CHOICE is quite bizarre but having a two time line thing has never been done before and here, it's well handled, well written, and actually quite exciting. I love it. This is Karen's best acted episode---she's great in it and so is Matt and Arthur. The funny stuff works again and the action is reasonable and fast paced. The monsters are bizarre enough to work and the situation is unnerving. Which reality is right? Is everyone in town really dead? Is Amy really pregnant? None of this takes over the series as it would do later and the villain is mysterious and quirky and funny. The mystery, again, is there and who is this guy? All of this is answered satisfactorily and more. Matt, again, acts his pants off and does a great job. Nothing in this is bad IMO. DW was getting stronger again and would continue to do so if the scenes to next week were anything to go on.
THE HUNGRY EARTH is basically a scaled down version of the Silurians. A good one---AT LEAST IN THIS FIRST PART. In these stories on this list, I did get the feel that the guest stars took things seriously, the actors who played the trio leads were not over the top, and no one was thinking, "This is just DW." They made it good. The guest stars were good and the parts written for them were excellent. In New Who and Classic Who, I don't think there is a scarier sequence where the Silurian, at night, chases the little boy (GOOD ACTOR!) through the cemetery at night. Tense. Intense. Matt again does a great job, especially when the boy asks him, "Are you afraid of monsters?" He anwers, "no, they're afraid of me." there could have been many way so him saying that and he did so in a way that wasn't conceited but was matter of fact and yet also quite stirring loyalty --from the boy and from me, at least. Matt did a great job again in this. The introductory arrival sequences were also top notce and reminded me of Troughton's time. And again, Amy and Rory did have a good part to play, were well written into the action and dialog and the actors who play them did a great job. I didn't feel like (as in season six) I was watching a patch up of Twilight Zone/OuterLimits/Stephen King (who also stole from the first two)/past DW or Tomorrow People (See Sarah Jane Smith adventures) adventures.
The location work really works, the music is tense and the Silurians are menacing enough. Okay, I DO NOT like that they changed them but whatever, that doesn't stop me from liking this first part. The arc did not overpower this first part, which for me, is a drawing point for all the stories on this list. I loved this first part. Again, though, pity about the second part where it all falls apart for me. Didn't like that at all.
VINCENT AND THE DOCTOR on first glance is a poor story. it's just all so sad. The monster? Why'd they have to kill it? Wasn't there any other way? And Vincent kills himself? Very sad. In any case, well acted. THIS might be Karen's best episode. She did rather well here and I was even starting to like her character and her as an actress. Unfortunately, she didn't keep this up and the writers didn't keep her likable or well written. The man who played Vincent was excellent as was Bill Nighy but such a small part. Matt did a good job here, too. This may not be my favorite of Matt's era but it definitely is memorable and lyrical.
THE LODGER is the funniest episode of New Who, both eras. It just is. Yes, I know it started out as a funny comic book story but here, it's better. The guest star is great, in fact both guest stars are great. Fans and audience members complain about the alien time machine in the attic...but that's not the point. The point is seeing the Doc living as a human, watching TV, playing sports, taking a shower. Matt is more than up for this and his Doctor might be the other one who could easily be exiled and fit in the best. Of course, the STARMAN fish out of water vs cultured experienced Time Lord time traveler is a strange chalk line to walk but the script handles it well, the dialog is funny, and the delivery is great. AND it makes sense. It's not too complicated and overblown. ALL of it is great. Pity about the sequel next season (which stunk). This might be my favorite Matt Smith episode.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
I so was set to hate this but I didn't. I loved it. I loved that Amy and Rory, after the horror that became them and the way they were written in and out of the show and the stories before this (namely the lame BIG BANG and the equally terrible PANDORICA OPENS) were too messed up temporally to be valid identification characters...thus having them sidelined for most of this was a great thing.
Loved the way the plot mimicked the Scrooge story. Fantastic. While I loved the first five minutes of THE NEXT DOCTOR (that set up a great Christmas feeling in the first few minutes but then gave us a lame story), this story gives us a more Christmas-y feeling. The snow, the glow, the song, the music, the great feelings. And the Doc is given two great companions, two I'd rather see him with than Amy and Rory. The kid and teen actors did a good job of being the boy through the years. The situation works and is bizarre enough to be interesting and funny in a Hitchhiker's Guide kind of way (traveling once a year every year). Yes, the story ends a bit sad but also happy. The sharks were a great threat and yet a part of nature. Matt again does a great job (yes, even after that horribly acted speech at Stonehenge) Too bad Moffat hasn't had a good Xmas story since this. Loved it.
THE IMPOSSIBLE ASTRONAUT and DAY OF THE MOON was not going to make this list. Yet when I first watched them, I was amazed. I gave both a ten and a nine I think. Problem is when you/I found out what actually took place during these two mysterious stories....I was not convinced and not impressed. Retroactively, they stink. Taken apart from the rest of this terrible arc, there is an evil looking villain (WHY don't they just kill Amy? Why can't they kill River later on?), an obscene idea (the Silence), fantastic cinematography and sets...a creepy feel and a GREAT psuedo companion who happens to be gay. The entire girl in the suit calling them up and them chasing her down is the start of the rot of this absurd and stupid season, I also didn't appreciate the way Nixon was represented... as a cartoon villain/idiot. Which is how most of the guest stars will be playing their characters for all the stories ahead and the next season, with some exceptions in early season 7. This doesn't entirely fall apart here...but does represent the questions that won't be answered well or at all. The rest of the season mostly stinks because of bad writing and bad plotting. These two retroactively stink. On face value, they might have some merit but I'd rather not watch them again. Ever.
THE DOCTOR'S WIFE is the best season 6 episode. I once wrote a fan fiction about the TARDIS becoming a woman but it was mostly to get the characters out of a situation. Here, it's well done, well acted, and milked for all the action and emotion it can be. THIS might be Matt's finest performance. He actually made me cry a bit. For once, the trio are so far out of time and space, away from Earth, to make it all feel so remote and challenging. The situation requires none of the stupid Moffat arc &^** and requires good acting from all...and we get it. Yes, Amy and Rory was once more given victim roles inside the ship and it kind of grates but it's also not as bad as some other stories. it's almost unsettling here. The entire story is well made and well written and moves from point A to point B to the end and has an actual climax that can be explained and enjoyed. IT IS a very strange story, though. Nevertheless, job well done. Pity about the rest of this poor season.
THE REBEL FLESH was one that I almost did not include. It starts out well. It sets things up nicely. The crew arrive and this almost feels like FURY FROM THE DEEP mixed with POWER OF THE DALEKS. Then, all the double Doctor stuff starts, and all the clone rights stuff starts. Here, however, it is well done and sets up the second part nicely but unless I'm very wrong, the rot sets in before episode one is over. Matt's in top form in part one but by the double Doctor stuff, he goes completely off the rails. The direction does the same. It starts out serious and tight and goes to campy and light and lame. The whole ganger thing leaves me cold. On top of that the entire second part presents a schizo Doctor, a schizo so called climax, and a boring one at that. Yet the first half of part one gives us much to hope for....hopes which are not fulfilled.
ASLYUM OF THE DALEKS makes another strange story. It is a shock that Clara is a Dalek and that she's in this at all. The planet looks vast. The Dalek stuff is odd enough to be different and keep interest. It's all so weird though. There is action and Rory in a room with all deactivated Daleks is tense and well done. One thing though: the macho Doctor does not come off. Some funny stuff though and this time it is genuinely funny, especially when Rory, the Doc and Amy are teleporting away. A good start.
DINOSAURS ON A SPACESHIP: the second best episode of the Matt era and the second best of the season. Funny, exciting, not too grim, related to Silurians (what a great GREAT idea to have a Silurian ARK with reptile life on it), and having Rory's dad in it...and it was well written, acted and handled, gives us all a treat. Rare for a Moffat story, everything comes into play and comes together for a rousing climax without being over the top. I even love that the Doc gathered two other people to help him (It didn't work in A GOOD MAN GOES TO WAR at all--hate Vastra and Jenny and that dumb Sontaran, there I've decided!). In any case, this just works on every level and there was a hope that DW was on track again and might stay there! Well done in every level. Sad that the Tri had to die. I didn't even mind the Doc committing murder.
A TOWN CALLED MERCY: a third good story in a row! DW is back! And a good one. And a good setting. Most Matt Smith stories LOOK good, this is no exception except that it looks beyond good. The story has some troubles but it's still okay. Amy's gunplay aside, the funny stuff here, mostly works. A novel did a Western better with the 10/Martha team. I like this episode. It's not bad at all and Matt and company did a good job.
THE ANGELS TAKE MANHATTAN:nothing wrong with this at all. Rory and the baby statues was chilling. As was Rory's walk through a dark tunnel. Even River's situation was interesting...to be held by a statue. AND it was all explained away well. Dialog was good, mostly; action was good and delivery well. I love that Amy and Rory leave the show. And they die but they don't. It sort of what's been happening to them since the show started. I felt just about nothing during the Doc's scenes. It was more touching when Rose left in DOOMSDAY. Another thing that ruined this story was the giant Statue of Liberty. And...why did Amy and Rory have to jump off the roof? I forgot. Not memorable but not terrible either. But that giant stay puff angel was just too much. It wasn't scary. It was silly. Still, easy to ignore. This does NOT however feel like NYC.
I so wanted to include RINGS but I just cannot. There's too much that makes no sense.
COLD WAR--best episode of the season and maybe the best of all of Matt Smith's time. A sort of traditional DW story, this is well plotted, even if it is VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (many, many episodes from all four seasons). Clara works well here and in some strong scenes. Guest stars are not over the top and do a good job. The feel is well done. It feels like a submarine. Matt does a good job, too. Just a good old fashioned adventure story. With a climax. That makes sense. Finally.
The first 20 minutes of HIDE are scary. Pity about the rest.
THE NAME OF THE DOCTOR. I still don't know what to think of this non story, non actioner.
For this thread, I'm trying to find the good among the ^%$#. This will be from memory rather than rewatching the worst three seasons of DW ever. While I think that there might be some moments among even the poorest of episodes, I do not want to cover those here, there's not many and they are fewer and fewer as we go from season five to season six. Seven has more episodes that are better but when they were bad, they were really bad. In any case...some of the ideas in the first three stories of season five had merit and even aroused some excitement...until they were seen to their bitter ends.
In any case, after three very disappointing "stories" that were so poor, we were given what I thought was "GOOD" DW. This would be: THE TIME OF THE ANGELS. Immediately this story loses points though for two things: having River in it (although she is used well in this section) and for that stupid TARDIS brake joke. It's not funny, it's badly acted, and poor. Mind you, this episode--and I'll be looking at it apart from the second and worse part of it FLESH AND STONE----perhaps Moffat can start a story ---or his writers can---but not bring it to satisfactory finishes most of the time. This might be said of other DW stories: loved the first two episodes of STONES OF BLOOD but the other two? Not as good. Still nothing in those two episodes are as bad as most of Moffat's. In any case, the first section of this story is quite good. It felt like DW was back and on target. We had: a great location, great effects, and scary sequences regarding the angels. And members of my family who saw this part liked it and wanted to see the second part and felt that---they don't like Matt at all either---Matt was good here (perhaps for the first time) AND that Amy was smart (she's usually not) in trying to close one eye only and keep the other one open.
The angels are changed, yeah. I always felt they'd be more scary in BLINK if they could rip you apart. That didn't bother me much here. Nor did the fact that they could talk through poor dead soldiers (Bob?). It also didn't bother me that Moffat seemed to be using things from FOREST OF THE DEAD/SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY. River was even used well. This part actually rocked. Matt was good, even though he had another of those ridiculous speeches, this one being about putting him in a trap. He was okay during the entire episode. I really liked this and couldn't wait for the conclusion. Pity about that conclusion. This episode, however, was clear cut and logical and scary and well done. The music was good, if not a stand out score like most of Murray's earlier stuff. I liked this...a lot.
The next good episode was VAMPIRES OF VENICE. Okay, this might be traditional DW but what's wrong with that? We have a few jokes that work here (unlike most of Moffat Era jokes which flat out do not) and good characterization. I can even ignore the annoying "Oh my god, Vampires" and "I know!" glee that the Doc and Amy show ---reminded me of the equally annoying 10th/Rose interplay in TOOTH AND CLAW (but at least they got their comeuppance). Both Rory and Amy are well used and again, they seem to be actionary rather than reactionary and they really do seem to care about each other. Rory is a rather good companion when he's not complaining too much---alittle bit like here---is funny---and when he's not dying. They were just starting to get his character going when they killed him that Silurian mess. In any case, the deaths seemed real, the mystery of what these things were was well done, and again, the location/setting was fantastic. The Doc introducing them to time travel in the past was well done and there was plenty of action. The villains were sort of dimensional and rather nasty at times. I really liked it. Then came the scenes to next week and THAT looked good, too!
AMY'S CHOICE is quite bizarre but having a two time line thing has never been done before and here, it's well handled, well written, and actually quite exciting. I love it. This is Karen's best acted episode---she's great in it and so is Matt and Arthur. The funny stuff works again and the action is reasonable and fast paced. The monsters are bizarre enough to work and the situation is unnerving. Which reality is right? Is everyone in town really dead? Is Amy really pregnant? None of this takes over the series as it would do later and the villain is mysterious and quirky and funny. The mystery, again, is there and who is this guy? All of this is answered satisfactorily and more. Matt, again, acts his pants off and does a great job. Nothing in this is bad IMO. DW was getting stronger again and would continue to do so if the scenes to next week were anything to go on.
THE HUNGRY EARTH is basically a scaled down version of the Silurians. A good one---AT LEAST IN THIS FIRST PART. In these stories on this list, I did get the feel that the guest stars took things seriously, the actors who played the trio leads were not over the top, and no one was thinking, "This is just DW." They made it good. The guest stars were good and the parts written for them were excellent. In New Who and Classic Who, I don't think there is a scarier sequence where the Silurian, at night, chases the little boy (GOOD ACTOR!) through the cemetery at night. Tense. Intense. Matt again does a great job, especially when the boy asks him, "Are you afraid of monsters?" He anwers, "no, they're afraid of me." there could have been many way so him saying that and he did so in a way that wasn't conceited but was matter of fact and yet also quite stirring loyalty --from the boy and from me, at least. Matt did a great job again in this. The introductory arrival sequences were also top notce and reminded me of Troughton's time. And again, Amy and Rory did have a good part to play, were well written into the action and dialog and the actors who play them did a great job. I didn't feel like (as in season six) I was watching a patch up of Twilight Zone/OuterLimits/Stephen King (who also stole from the first two)/past DW or Tomorrow People (See Sarah Jane Smith adventures) adventures.
The location work really works, the music is tense and the Silurians are menacing enough. Okay, I DO NOT like that they changed them but whatever, that doesn't stop me from liking this first part. The arc did not overpower this first part, which for me, is a drawing point for all the stories on this list. I loved this first part. Again, though, pity about the second part where it all falls apart for me. Didn't like that at all.
VINCENT AND THE DOCTOR on first glance is a poor story. it's just all so sad. The monster? Why'd they have to kill it? Wasn't there any other way? And Vincent kills himself? Very sad. In any case, well acted. THIS might be Karen's best episode. She did rather well here and I was even starting to like her character and her as an actress. Unfortunately, she didn't keep this up and the writers didn't keep her likable or well written. The man who played Vincent was excellent as was Bill Nighy but such a small part. Matt did a good job here, too. This may not be my favorite of Matt's era but it definitely is memorable and lyrical.
THE LODGER is the funniest episode of New Who, both eras. It just is. Yes, I know it started out as a funny comic book story but here, it's better. The guest star is great, in fact both guest stars are great. Fans and audience members complain about the alien time machine in the attic...but that's not the point. The point is seeing the Doc living as a human, watching TV, playing sports, taking a shower. Matt is more than up for this and his Doctor might be the other one who could easily be exiled and fit in the best. Of course, the STARMAN fish out of water vs cultured experienced Time Lord time traveler is a strange chalk line to walk but the script handles it well, the dialog is funny, and the delivery is great. AND it makes sense. It's not too complicated and overblown. ALL of it is great. Pity about the sequel next season (which stunk). This might be my favorite Matt Smith episode.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
I so was set to hate this but I didn't. I loved it. I loved that Amy and Rory, after the horror that became them and the way they were written in and out of the show and the stories before this (namely the lame BIG BANG and the equally terrible PANDORICA OPENS) were too messed up temporally to be valid identification characters...thus having them sidelined for most of this was a great thing.
Loved the way the plot mimicked the Scrooge story. Fantastic. While I loved the first five minutes of THE NEXT DOCTOR (that set up a great Christmas feeling in the first few minutes but then gave us a lame story), this story gives us a more Christmas-y feeling. The snow, the glow, the song, the music, the great feelings. And the Doc is given two great companions, two I'd rather see him with than Amy and Rory. The kid and teen actors did a good job of being the boy through the years. The situation works and is bizarre enough to be interesting and funny in a Hitchhiker's Guide kind of way (traveling once a year every year). Yes, the story ends a bit sad but also happy. The sharks were a great threat and yet a part of nature. Matt again does a great job (yes, even after that horribly acted speech at Stonehenge) Too bad Moffat hasn't had a good Xmas story since this. Loved it.
THE IMPOSSIBLE ASTRONAUT and DAY OF THE MOON was not going to make this list. Yet when I first watched them, I was amazed. I gave both a ten and a nine I think. Problem is when you/I found out what actually took place during these two mysterious stories....I was not convinced and not impressed. Retroactively, they stink. Taken apart from the rest of this terrible arc, there is an evil looking villain (WHY don't they just kill Amy? Why can't they kill River later on?), an obscene idea (the Silence), fantastic cinematography and sets...a creepy feel and a GREAT psuedo companion who happens to be gay. The entire girl in the suit calling them up and them chasing her down is the start of the rot of this absurd and stupid season, I also didn't appreciate the way Nixon was represented... as a cartoon villain/idiot. Which is how most of the guest stars will be playing their characters for all the stories ahead and the next season, with some exceptions in early season 7. This doesn't entirely fall apart here...but does represent the questions that won't be answered well or at all. The rest of the season mostly stinks because of bad writing and bad plotting. These two retroactively stink. On face value, they might have some merit but I'd rather not watch them again. Ever.
THE DOCTOR'S WIFE is the best season 6 episode. I once wrote a fan fiction about the TARDIS becoming a woman but it was mostly to get the characters out of a situation. Here, it's well done, well acted, and milked for all the action and emotion it can be. THIS might be Matt's finest performance. He actually made me cry a bit. For once, the trio are so far out of time and space, away from Earth, to make it all feel so remote and challenging. The situation requires none of the stupid Moffat arc &^** and requires good acting from all...and we get it. Yes, Amy and Rory was once more given victim roles inside the ship and it kind of grates but it's also not as bad as some other stories. it's almost unsettling here. The entire story is well made and well written and moves from point A to point B to the end and has an actual climax that can be explained and enjoyed. IT IS a very strange story, though. Nevertheless, job well done. Pity about the rest of this poor season.
THE REBEL FLESH was one that I almost did not include. It starts out well. It sets things up nicely. The crew arrive and this almost feels like FURY FROM THE DEEP mixed with POWER OF THE DALEKS. Then, all the double Doctor stuff starts, and all the clone rights stuff starts. Here, however, it is well done and sets up the second part nicely but unless I'm very wrong, the rot sets in before episode one is over. Matt's in top form in part one but by the double Doctor stuff, he goes completely off the rails. The direction does the same. It starts out serious and tight and goes to campy and light and lame. The whole ganger thing leaves me cold. On top of that the entire second part presents a schizo Doctor, a schizo so called climax, and a boring one at that. Yet the first half of part one gives us much to hope for....hopes which are not fulfilled.
ASLYUM OF THE DALEKS makes another strange story. It is a shock that Clara is a Dalek and that she's in this at all. The planet looks vast. The Dalek stuff is odd enough to be different and keep interest. It's all so weird though. There is action and Rory in a room with all deactivated Daleks is tense and well done. One thing though: the macho Doctor does not come off. Some funny stuff though and this time it is genuinely funny, especially when Rory, the Doc and Amy are teleporting away. A good start.
DINOSAURS ON A SPACESHIP: the second best episode of the Matt era and the second best of the season. Funny, exciting, not too grim, related to Silurians (what a great GREAT idea to have a Silurian ARK with reptile life on it), and having Rory's dad in it...and it was well written, acted and handled, gives us all a treat. Rare for a Moffat story, everything comes into play and comes together for a rousing climax without being over the top. I even love that the Doc gathered two other people to help him (It didn't work in A GOOD MAN GOES TO WAR at all--hate Vastra and Jenny and that dumb Sontaran, there I've decided!). In any case, this just works on every level and there was a hope that DW was on track again and might stay there! Well done in every level. Sad that the Tri had to die. I didn't even mind the Doc committing murder.
A TOWN CALLED MERCY: a third good story in a row! DW is back! And a good one. And a good setting. Most Matt Smith stories LOOK good, this is no exception except that it looks beyond good. The story has some troubles but it's still okay. Amy's gunplay aside, the funny stuff here, mostly works. A novel did a Western better with the 10/Martha team. I like this episode. It's not bad at all and Matt and company did a good job.
THE ANGELS TAKE MANHATTAN:nothing wrong with this at all. Rory and the baby statues was chilling. As was Rory's walk through a dark tunnel. Even River's situation was interesting...to be held by a statue. AND it was all explained away well. Dialog was good, mostly; action was good and delivery well. I love that Amy and Rory leave the show. And they die but they don't. It sort of what's been happening to them since the show started. I felt just about nothing during the Doc's scenes. It was more touching when Rose left in DOOMSDAY. Another thing that ruined this story was the giant Statue of Liberty. And...why did Amy and Rory have to jump off the roof? I forgot. Not memorable but not terrible either. But that giant stay puff angel was just too much. It wasn't scary. It was silly. Still, easy to ignore. This does NOT however feel like NYC.
I so wanted to include RINGS but I just cannot. There's too much that makes no sense.
COLD WAR--best episode of the season and maybe the best of all of Matt Smith's time. A sort of traditional DW story, this is well plotted, even if it is VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (many, many episodes from all four seasons). Clara works well here and in some strong scenes. Guest stars are not over the top and do a good job. The feel is well done. It feels like a submarine. Matt does a good job, too. Just a good old fashioned adventure story. With a climax. That makes sense. Finally.
The first 20 minutes of HIDE are scary. Pity about the rest.
THE NAME OF THE DOCTOR. I still don't know what to think of this non story, non actioner.