Doctor Who Series 9 Re-Watch Snippets Part 2

Here we go again, this time with not only the second half of Series 9 but the 2015 Christmas Special and, since 2016 only had the one story, the 2016 Christmas Special too. Enjoy. Or don't. Either way is fine. Anyway, here it is:

The fairy tale style opening recap of 'The Zygon Invasion' is probably needed to catch up casual viewers but it's also quite nice and succinct. The two Osgoods make a welcome return to give some lovely exposition before we fast forward to events following Missy's murder of Osgood. Somehow, very effective at eliciting a emotional response. 'Doctor Disco' attempts to make contact with Clara and the two 'big blobs' in charge of the Zygon's settled on Earth...which makes for another great scene with Capaldi playing opposite children. It's also kinda funny until it takes a dark turn. Side note: I love Osgood's choice of attire. There are some really creepy scenes throughout this episode. I like when Doctor Who does creepy and scary well. 20 million Zygons is a lot of people to duplicate. With all the talk of a younger generation or brood of radicals, it makes me wonder how long they've been resettled on Earth? 'I snogged a Zygon once. Old habits'. Obviously the subtext of this story runs deep with the references to xenophobia, being sold and radicalization. This new iteration of UNIT under Kate Stewart is both more militaristic and more female-dominated. Make of that what you will, I personally like the shift. 'Doctor Funkenstein' aka The President of the World aka The Doctor seems to be intentionally playing more silly in response to the severity of the situation. While the trips all over the world do help make the threat seem more global, I can't help but feel this story could have gotten by without these segments to pad things out. Don't get me wrong, the scenes are fine but come the second part, they all seem to have been fairly unnecessary to the overall plot. At least, the scenes could have been all centered around the UK, for example. Once again, there is a secret beneath London. Still, 30 million. It's good to have a classic-feeling UNIT story every now and then. I appreciated the line about UNIT bolstering their ranks from the army, but that in this case that would be unworkable. It felt like a reasonable explanation and also covers why there are so few troops at any given time. Very reminiscent of the classic UNIT-era. Underground tunnels linking continents seems like something that would take a very long time to construct. I have to wonder why people become a pile of sparky-hair when killed. Clara is clearly a Zygon from her first scene onward and the show wants you to know that, it would seem, because of the way the moment with the creepy parents is never followed up on or referred to by Clara again. The narrative wants us to be suspicious, not to trick us. But through the episode, it is easy to almost forget until you remember all the odd moments. The colour palette in this story is perfect with it's reds and greens filling the screen with paranoia and fear. One of the radical Zygons boasts that the invasion has already happened over the past year so that implies a brief time-span for the movement, if not the immigration of the Zygons throughout Earth. Is the President's plane the new Valiant? It does seem to get destroyed a lot. Nice cliffhanger.

I don't actually have a huge amount to say about 'The Zygon Inversion'. Much like 'Listen' it's a personal favourite and nearly perfect episode. Just for Capaldi's anti-war speech alone, you have to watch it.

Jenna Coleman is brilliant playing Clara's Zygon duplicate, Bonnie. Especially when Clara is interrogated. Especially when Bonnie insists she won't give her people a choice about living in peace among the humans.

Capaldi's defining moment as the Doctor has to be this speech. It gives me goosebumps. Bravo.

Then the Doctor goes ahead and reduces me to tears with his passion and pain. He forgives. The most powerful speech in the shows 50-plus year history. Words don't do this performance justice. It has to be seen.

'Sleep No More' is a bit of an experimental episode, with it's 'found footage' motif. I can't decide if I like it or not. It's not a bad story, really. It's just up against some great competition this series. For starters, the monsters of the piece are genuinely original and appropriately creepy. Re-watching it again, I find the point of view style of filming to be well managed for the most part, with only a few moments being unclear. The villain of the episode actually appears to succeed, with the Doctor narrowly escaping in the TARDIS being the closest thing to a victory this time around. Yet another example of the Twelfth Doctor apparently breaking the fourth wall by looking straight at us, the viewer, throughout the episode. The clues about the lack of camera's are actually present throughout the episode, too. A nice touch. That ending was pretty unsettling, wasn't it?

'Face the Raven' is the big one, folks. All that subtle and not-so-subtle foreshadowing comes to a head with this episode. Rigsy returns with a strange tattoo that draws the Doctor and Clara into a mystery. But that's not the real point of the story, no. It's not about the trap street either. The TARDIS gets a good showing this week, flying above London and generally being useful. When Clara dangles dangerously out the doors, she should be worries but she's become so unfazed by all this, it's like she believes she's got plot armour. But she doesn't. I realize the point of this series arc is all about her and the Doctor becoming very much alike and the severe danger that puts her in, what with her not having the ability to regenerate to save herself and all that. Me returns as the Mayor of the trap street. She's still borderline but works as force for good protecting her street. Obviously the 'Quantum Shade' or Raven had to be a massively powerful being to ensure we don't have the Doctor's usual sneaky cheating to get out of the situation. It can grow tiresome having the Doctor be the most god-like person in the room, so it's a good change. Maybe one day, they'll bring back the Eternals. Clara's 'Doctor 101' line and thinking herself clever because she believes she can cheat the death sentence is all too obvious. She's a marked woman and she has been for far longer than this episode. The big reveal that Rigsy was set up comes as no great surprise. The countdown of this episode does ratchet up the tension a bit but it's not until the climax that it holds much dramatic weight. I like the basics of this story but there is something off about the execution and pacing of the episode. Mayor Me being afraid and believing she is doing the right thing really had me going for a second because I had initially guessed the shadowy big bad behind the whole series arc and this threw a wrench into my plans. But no, should have never doubted it. So....what was the actual point of the Confession Dial from the beginning of the series being carted around all this time? I know it's a plot point but what was the Doctor doing with it all this time? He didn't still think he was going to die, did he? The gnawing sense of dread surrounding Clara when she realizes she's signed her own death warrant. The Doctor is furious and threatening to rain down hell on Me. It's all so good. His anger and Clara's plea that the Doctor not act out. She accepts her death. The final words between the Doctor and Clara are actually really stirring stuff. Telling him not to be furious or sad or alone, but to be a Doctor. A final hug and then it's time to face the raven. I found it very emotional because I frankly grew to love Clara as a companion. The Doctor telling Me that Clara was saving her, not him was really scary. And off the Doctor goes to parts unknown, caught in the trap. The post credits scene with Rigsy beautifully memorializing Clara by painting the TARDIS was a nice tribute.

'Heaven Sent' is my favourite Capaldi episode to date. It's almost a one man show and that's probably what I like most about it. Capaldi can hold the camera and command a scene like nobody's business. It's compulsive viewing. Gripping. The veiled figure is perfectly creepy. The Doctor continues to talk to Clara. The wound is still fresh for him. The monologue is brilliant. The chalkboard. He's lecturing, tutoring, teaching. It's what Capaldi's Doctor does so well. He considers the moving and changing castle a torture chamber and the veil an interrogator because he has secrets he will never give up. Given what this place is later revealed to be, that says a lot. The lingering shots of the castle and the puzzle of this place really sink in to your subconscious. The mystery was intriguing. I love how the Doctor slowly works out the mechanics of the place. The terrible realization that he has eternity to dwell on Clara's death is a gut punch. This whole episode is the Doctor's grief. When it's revealed he's been at this for millenia over and over again, you realize he's reliving the fresh tragedy of Clara's death over and over. That's rough. The montage is really very stirring. It moves me. Tje Doctor pounding away at the wall with his bare hands until he gets through shows astonishing persistence. The long way round indeed. Is he now billions of years old? When he says the Hybrid is 'me' I thought he was being clever and referring to Ashildr. The Doctor is one hell of a bird.

So....'Hell Bent'....It's a bit of a let down as series finales go. Oh, it's not terrible but the parts don't quite come together to form a satisfying conclusion. Gallifrey. The Barn. The Doctor standing quietly in defiance, drawing a line in the sand. All good stuff but it's too soon for Gallifrey to return and off screen of all things. I suppose because the loss of Clara is still fresh for him, but he really does go too far. A bloodless coup doesn't excuse the murder of a fellow Time Lord nor potentially fracturing the universe. I know the point is he's gone too far but it feels wrong and his comeuppance isn't enough to clean the taste from the mouth. So the Doctor used his supposed knowledge of the Hybrid as leverage to get Clara back. When Capaldi flips and becomes angry because his desperate plan is failing....that is the rage of a Time Lord who can't accept when something is at it's end. The whole Hybrid arc is poorly resolved, if it is even resolved. I personally feel Clara was better off dying by her own actions. That said the final goodbyes and the Doctor's sadness at not remember her is very affecting. The whole bit about Clara being frozen right before her death is a frustratingly open ended resolution that robs her death of any drama or weight. Sure, she has to die but she can spend eternity running before she has to face her fate.

'The Husbands of River Song' is a lighthearted Christmas romp until the end where it becomes the final piece of a 7 year puzzle. Then it's sweet and sad and heartbreaking. Just when you thought the sad times would be remedied with your standard Christmas cheer....I like this one. It's not very substantial as plots go but it's a fun rollercoaster ride of emotions.

Not going to lie, as a comic book super hero fan, I loved 'The Return of Doctor Mysterio'. A truly delightful caper with all the trappings of a super hero story and a Doctor Who Christmas Special all rolled into one package under the tree. The Christopher Reeves Superman references are the most obvious but there are several more scattered throughout the episode. Is it especially mentally taxing? No, but it is mentally stimulating. Nardole has a few well timed comedy moments that work well. But I am uncertain how his character will be handled in the coming series. He'll need a more robust and rounded characterisation to work as a full time companion. The brief scene between him and the Doctor is a nice start. Did I mention I love all the super hero tropes this story utilizes? The final scenes with the Doctor's speech about endings was lovely. The Doctor's been through a journey the past few years and it shows. Bring on the new series.

Until I find a better way to scratch my itch for talking at length about Doctor Who, I remain 

frogoat

Doctor Who Series 9 Re-Watch Snippets Part 1

The Twelfth Doctor's second series is vastly different in not only format but tone, style and story structure. Comprised mostly of two-part or linked stories, Series 9 sees the Doctor enjoy his new lease on life fully with his companion Clara....but tragedy was always close behind. This is the first time I've re-watched this series in a year so this should be interesting. I remember having mixed feelings about the series structure and it's story arc. Without further ado, here is Part One!

'The Magician's Apprentice' opens the episode and series 9 with an amazingly creepy scene on a desolate battlefield. Hand mines are utterly repulsive for some reason. I think the Capaldi's Doctor here proves just how wonderfully he plays opposite children. Then the boy tells us his name. Davros. Brilliant. Tonally, I think the series starts off very differently from the previous, with more of a hybrid of styles from prior era's. The reappearance of locations such as the Shadow Proclamation and Karn lends some continuity to the universe, which I enjoy. I think the argument that Clara is not consistently characterized is inaccurate. She simply grows as a character through her three series tenure. The fact that she is easily distracted during a class is indicative of her going through the motions as a teacher, waiting for another adventure. Since Danny is gone, Clara is even less tethered to her mundane and normal life. Missy makes another scene-stealing entrance before taking the time to goad Clara. The Confession Dial proves to be an ongoing plot point....Missy and Clara going head to head is good television. So....I actually like Capaldi with sunglasses and a guitar. Sue me but I think it's a nice wrinkle to add to his Doctor. The over the top jokes and Tank are to illustrate the situation. Hugging returns with reason. Colony Sarff the snake man is absolutely grotesque, but honestly he's just a lackey with a gimmick. The more dressed-down Doctor is an interesting departure from his more Pertwee-esque prior look. I think a happy medium suits Capaldi best. The idea of Davros being 'made' the man he is today by the Doctor is the kind of story you can really only tell in this manner. Clara's comment to the Doctor about him knowing the truth about Missy's survival is indicative of their storied relationship. The best scenes of this story are between Missy and Clara and Davros and the Doctor. I love, love, love seeing Davros replay classic-Who scenes. So....Skaro is treated as a big reveal but we already saw it was restored in Series 7. Still, I like seeing classic series style Daleks on a 'The Daleks' style Skaro. Oh, look! It's the Supreme Dalek from Series 4. Then Missy 'dies'. Davros as an old man feels right, somehow. Then Clara 'dies' and the real meat of the story can finally begin. Compassion is wrong. The final scene is quite good with The Doctor apparently 'exterminating' the young Davros. What a cliffhanger! It's a good thing the next time trailer doesn't ruin the next episode too.

'The Witches Familiar' opens with Missy recounting a classic story of the Doctor in peril. Which Missy uses to educate Clara (and the audience) on how she escaped death last series. Clever way to hand-wave a miraculous escape. So....true to history, you should never make the Doctor angry. The Doctor literally taking Davros' place is charming and chilling. Missy using and abusing Clara somehow manages to be thoroughly watchable. A Dalek sewer made of decaying Daleks. When the Doctor demands Clara Oswald be returned alive and unharmed, Capaldi can't help but convey the emotions with such intensity, I was concerned for the Daleks. No small feat. Davros being connected to every Dalek on the planet does help explain why he's lived so damn long. When Davros explains that he was unable to remove mercy from his 'children'.....well, not only is it poetic but it also retroactively explains why Daleks seem to understand mercy lately. The Doctor explaining who he is and why he came to Davros' deathbed gives Capaldi something meaty to play. Clara trapped inside a Dalek is a massive callback. Seeing how the vocabulary and expressions of a Dalek are repressed and channeled through their gun is a nice piece of lore. The truly exceptional scenes between Capaldi and Bleach's Davros drive this episode. There is so much to be said for their heart to heart, particularly as they are such bitter enemies yet share a commonality. Davros even asks if he is a good man. 'How far we have come to go home again'. Seeing the Doctor go to such lengths to help even such an enemy reminds us all over again that the Doctor does what he believes is right, no matter what. The sewers are revolting. Missy trying to goad the Doctor into killing Clara while she is trapped in a Dalek casing is just good writing. Mercy. The Doctor returns to young Davros and saves his life. The Doctor concludes that it doesn't matter if they are friends or enemies so long as there is always mercy. A great two-part opener.

'Under the Lake' is one of those stories that spends a long time building up to the second part. It's good, don't get me wrong. Spooky, eerie and atmospheric. A sort of base-under-siege story which Doctor Who has used liberally through it's long history. Usually the first party is a slow moving drag, but not here. The Doctor talking soothingly to the TARDIS is something we don't see enough of in New-Who. The mystery with the ghosts and the ship is genuinely intriguing. The Doctor's inability to use sign language was a nice touch. The Doctor's disapproving look when Clara tries to celebrate a potential new adventure is oddly disturbing in retrospect. It stands to reason that writer Toby Whithouse would reuse one of his creations, the alien Tivoli and it isn't particularly intrusive to the plot. Just an indicator something is amiss. The Doctor's socially inappropriate reaction to learning ghosts are real was one of those touches I truly appreciate with Capaldi's performance. The bit of comedy with the cards was out of place, though. The Doctor's had a whole season for that. The conversation between the Doctor and Clara wherein he expresses his concerns and emphasizes his duty of care for his companion are actually much needed. The Doctor knows all too well what this life can do to those around him and is genuinely worried. His lack of social skills in this regard fail him but he conveys his emotion perfectly. It's Clara who assures the Doctor she is fine. But I think it's obvious this is not the case. Back to the main plot! The Doctor throws his UNIT credentials around to ensure the 'infestation' doesn't spread, which strands the team in the base. Gathering more information makes for some nice tense chase scenes. Using the Faraday cage to trap the ghosts is a nice development. Does anyone else get an Alien3 vibe? Especially the assembly cut. The reveal that someone is killing people only to hijack their souls to boost a distress call is actually rather horrific, which fits the tone of this tale. I appreciate that given the opportunity to leave, the team elects to remain to solve things. It's not often the supporting cast gets the chance to decide if they want to live or die. Capaldi's Doctor is driven to solve this mystery. He holds the same love for exploration and discovery that he's had since the very first episodes of Doctor Who. It's captivating to watch a true master work. Suddenly the tension ratchets up with the base flooding and the Doctor and Clara separated by time and space. Oh, but then we see a new ghost....The Doctor. God, I love great cliffhangers.

'Before the Flood' opens with Capaldi breaking the fourth wall yet again to explain 'the Bootstrap Paradox'. It's a hallmark of the Twelfth Doctor by this point to break down the barrier between the viewer and world of Doctor Who. It's also very scholarly, as though the Doctor is educating us throughout his run. I thoroughly enjoy it. Having a fan essentially squee after attempting to play it cool by namedropping former companions and events was a nice if brief moment but it did remind me of Osgood just a bit too much. The Tivolian gleefully wishing to be oppressed is.....disturbing in a whole different way. When the Doctor seems to accept is inevitable death, it's Clara's reaction that really struck me: 'Die on the person after me, but not me'. The conversation that follows is powerfully effective but more importantly, very telling of Clara's irrational but understandably grief-stricken emotional state. It's a continuation of her character arc. The ghost-Doctor's warning is great method for continuing to ratchet up the tension again now that we've settled back into the plot. The Fisher King makes for an impressive visual but it's squandered in this story and under utilized. Bennett's anger at the Doctor when O'Donnell dies is palpable and the Doctor doesn't even deny it, adding he isn't trying to change history to save himself, but Clara makes for an honest if not entirely moral statement. The Doctor attempting to change the rules of the game by using the TARDIS is something we never see so seeing it fail here is wonderfully poetic. The Doctor explains that you can't go back and change the root of tragedy. Now that's obviously foreshadowing but I don't think I caught it originally. Clara steps into the Doctors shoes yet again, encouraging others to endanger their lives, to be brave to save the day. Having someone question if traveling with the Doctor has changed her only further accentuates this point. Seeing events play out in two different zones really helps elevate this episode and ensures the second half of this story doesn't drag. The scenes with the Doctor confronting the Fisher King are probably the weakest of the story because the King does nothing but posture and boast and spends much of his limited time on screen in the shadows. Oh, sure he throws around a few references to the Time Lords but it doesn't make him a convincing threat, just a paper thin villain. Experiencing the ghosts creeping up on Cass from her perspective, devoid of sound, is an effective and singular method of storytelling. The Doctor is offended by the Fisher Kings violation of the rules of Life and Death. The point being, of course, that soon we'll see him break his own rules and do just that. Was I the only one that laughed when the Fisher King looked up and saw the dam wall breaking? Seeing the hologram gimmick used as a callback is a fair plot point conceit. Clara sharing advice on grieving with Bennett is a small scene that speaks volumes. Closing out the show by referencing the Bootstrap Paradox again is a great bit of meta-commentary on the show itself, which has frequently used similar gimmicks through Moffat's years as show-runner.

The bonkers opening of 'The Girl Who Died' is loads of fun. The fact that the Doctor's highly advanced technology fails to impress the Vikings pals in comparison to seeing the Sonic Sunglasses snapped in two with barely any effort. Whoops. Fast forward to two days later and the Doctor's comment about premonition being remembering in the wrong direction makes me wonder if it's a part of Time Lord physiology. A genuinely laughed out loud at Capaldi's hilariously bad attempt to hoodwink the Vikings with a yo-yo before been shown up by a far more impressive display in the clouds. Clara steps up as the leader among the captives, a role she is becoming terribly comfortable with. I like the line about Gods never actually showing up as proof that Odin was a deception. I doubt the production team expected to get so much mileage out of the Sanctuary Base space suit back in 2006's 'The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit' but here we are still using those things. Clara's bluff almost works until Ashildr becomes outraged at what the Mire have done to her people and war is declared. The testosterone-fuelled scene about dying in battle is beautifully shut down by the sounds of a baby crying. Thematically, the Doctor's ideology is at odds with battles and war and dying for honor. Seeing Capaldi translate the babies cries is poetic and frankly moving. The fact that an infant moves the Doctor to stay and help recalls The Day of the Doctor. Capaldi is great with the comedy bits here. Clara coaching the Doctor is fabulous. She knows how he works. They've become very close friends. Ashildr and the Doctor sharing scenes is gripping. 'I tell you that leaving this place would be death itself'. The Doctor often mocks soldiers and warriors but hearing how much they mean to Ashildr makes the point that there is always a reason to fight, so long as you have something to fight for. The plan to trick the Mire is a good bite of fun before it turns tragic. A story to save a town. I do like that. Reputation is everything. But the moment you realize Ashildr has died is made all the worse by the Doctor's expression. Capaldi's acting is superb when he talks about how the painful memories of Clara will one day bring him such grief. The big reveal about why the Doctor chose Capaldi's face is actually rather brilliant. It's not sci-fi, it's a reminder. When the Doctor declares to the heavens that if anyone has a problem with him saving people then to hell with them....well....very soon, Doctor. Very soon. Saving Ashildr is a gift the Doctor gives that sadly becomes a curse, all because he can't bare to lose people. Capaldi's face when he describes immortality is subtle and full of centuries of living. The final slow tracking shot of Ashildr through the centuries is beautiful.

Even though it's not a two-parter, 'The Woman Who Lived' and the previous episode are clearly closely linked by Ashildr aka Me. I have to confess, Maisie Williams is a brilliant young actor and I may be a teeny bit biased. The opening scene and the setting of 1651 actually make me miss the historical stories of old. Sure, throw a monster in there if it helps with ratings, but I do tire of the frequent stories set on present or near-present earth. Ashildr forgetting her own name is a nice touch. Forgetting loved ones and living through endless tragedy. I also enjoy the recounting of Me's many previous lives throughout history. The rows and rows of journals tell a tale not even she can revisit. Peter Capaldi's reading aloud is mesmerizing and it absolutely guts me when we learn Me lost her children. Her decision to never again suffer through that tragedy, leaving the journal entry as a constant reminder. The Doctor's mercy in immortal flesh confronts him with what his empathy has left behind. A far more subtle theme than the 'Hybrid' story arc, but a far more enjoyable and thoroughly watchable one. Seeing the Twelfth Doctor without Clara makes for a nice change in the story dynamic. Me's instance that the Doctor acts as her companion is great comic material, as is the sneaking about while breaking and entering. Me refers to Clara as a weakness who will die on the Doctor. He looks devastated when Me asks how many he's lost. The Doctor hates puns and banter with a passion. Charming. In my opinion the first half of the episode is better than the conclusion. The interactions between the Doctor and Ashildr/Me are the best scenes of the episode and conversely, the scenes with the 'monster of the week,' Leandro and Lady Me are the weakest, feeling shoehorned in to seemingly fill the quota of a Modern-Who episode. Seeing how much Ashildr has changed because of the Doctor is a key point of the series. She's almost the counterpoint to the Doctor, becoming colder and harsher over time while the Doctor continually finds new reasons to go on doing good in the universe. Okay....fine.....I'll admit I love the gallows humour for it's literal usage here. While they laugh, he lives. The Doctor and Sam Swift exchanging jokes is frankly marvelous. The MacGuffin puts the scale of the story far to high compared to the rest of the story. It serves the purpose of reminding Ashildr/Me that she does care but frankly this could have been achieved far better and with greater subtlety. The Doctor having no clue whether Same Swift will become immortal is a nice bit of honesty. People often forget that the Doctor is just somebody who tries his best, he's not reading from a textbook and there is often no precedent for what he does. So, the guitar seems to be sticking around. I don't mind that. Clara and the Doctor are now so very close. They even hug. That should trouble you because it troubles the Doctor.


Until I find a better use for my limited free time than re-watching Doctor Who (as if that were even possible), I remain

 
frogoat