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Doctor Who Regeneration 03: Reversing the Polarity

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    #16
    Took a little digging but I think this count is right:

    Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes
    Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
    Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
    Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes

    After a break I've started watching Series 5 and straight out the gate, separate from the impression of the changes it brought at the time, it's much better than I remember.

    -The Eleventh Hour-

    Complete with it's title that undermines the later chronology nonsense Moffatt would pull, out intro to Matt Smith see's him hit the ground running in the role. There remains something solid about the direction of this episode despite the simplistic storyline, it's solid stuff though, pacing its introductions well and leaving a positive impression for both the new Doctor and Amy.

    -The Beast Below-
    This is again a solid episode, it toys with a proper moral quandary but never goes with it in the same way that Fires of Pompeii did. Broadly it's quite a standard run of the mill episode but it keeps events moving briskly and remains and easy view.

    -Victory of the Daleks-
    By this point the sense of event surrounding the Daleks had lessened and coming off the back of their big scale storyline in the previous season this one feels a bit like going through the motions. The WWII setting is nice and it's also good that the Doctor is as on it as the viewer is in knowing how things will mostly pan out. You get the big reveal of the updated Daleks that went down like a lead balloon and they remain weak and cheap looking, unsurprising in how the show was quick to sideline them, but this episode continued something else that was more note worthy. For the third time in a row, Amy is instrumental in saving the day in a way that is clever and key but not in a way that the Doctor would be expected to do himself. It really pays off the idea of him opening himself to a companion again and in balancing out the two new roles.

    -The Time of Angels-
    The first of a two parter see's River Song return for her second outing with a lot of future plot teasing. Hunting down a Weeping Angel on a planet crash site, the episode maintains a solid pace but immediately to once again get the sense that this isn't really the best setting for the Angels and repeated use waters down their appeal.

    -Flesh and Stone-

    The second parter ramps up the threat for Amy and gives Matt a good run of situations to demonstrate how his version of the Doctor see's and manages events. That one slightly vague talking scene between the Doctor and Amy works better on revisit as well knowing how it actually fits into the series arc. There are moments where this could take the first claim of a Strong Episode award but it never quite elevates itself to that level and is utterly gut punched in the final three minutes when they get home and Amy suddenly turns to trying to sexually assault the Doctor taking a carefully managed tone and killing it and her character stone cold dead in the sake of a cheap set up for the next episodes opening joke.

    Series 05 - 0 Strong Episodes so far

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      #17
      I recently found out my grandma was in an episode of the very first series of Doctor Who. Apparently her part involved walking in and handing the Doctor something, then walking out.

      Not sure I could stomach going through the 40-or-so episodes to find her, especially knowing some episodes are lost.

      Comment


        #18
        That would be too cool a thing not to try going through them


        -The Vampires of Venice-
        Very bog standard episode this one that follows a very run of the mill formula and is only really notable for being the point where Rory is properly brought into the fold.

        Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes
        Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
        Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
        Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes
        Series 05 - 0 Strong Episodes so far

        Comment


          #19
          -Amy's Choice-
          The Doctor, Amy and Rory find themselves flitting between two realities not knowing which is real and which is not. This is another one on this run of episodes that is very easy going to watch. It's pacey and fairly light with a couple of key moments. It never hits heights but continues the series long theme of the show being incredibly consistent.

          -The Hungry Earth-
          The second two parter begins with this part one episode which see's movement underground in a deep dig site. I remember this being a bit of a meh two parter back when it aired and it remains the same, the pacing is always too slow and the Silurians are pretty dull characters.

          Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes
          Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
          Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
          Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes
          Series 05 - 0 Strong Episodes so far

          Comment


            #20
            We finally got through the complete modern run, completing the circle with the end of the Tennant run. The Tennant ending was absolutely superb. Very emotional and beautiful in the way it truly embraced it as an ending even though of course the show continues. They allowed so much to wrap up and conclude, with a lot of goodbyes. Cribbins was brilliant. He’s adorable. Of the modern Doctors, I think Tennant is my favourite by quite a large margin.

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              #21
              Yup, he pretty much encapsulates what suits modern-Who. I'm developing a new found appreciation for Smith though on these rewatches.
              Rewatching Capaldi's run will be the interesting one, I like the guy but I never felt things clicked for him mostly due to the poor way the last few seasons were handled.

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                #22
                I really like Matt Smith. He has an interesting character mix because I find him very childlike and yet when he goes dark he can go really dark, like he feels things even more deeply. It gives him a sense of insanity and sadness even while being fun and happy and makes the character quite rich. He’s my daughter’s favourite Doctor.

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                  #23
                  Agreed, those early features when he took the role nailed it with him. He was the youngest Doctor but he was very good at wearing the Doctors miles and coming across like the mind behind the hours was carrying a lifetimes weight and experience.


                  -Cold Blood-
                  The second part of this storyline continues along quite a predictable path. There's nothing of note really to the episode; it again, as so many of Who's two parters do, feels like one episode would have done the job. The only section of note is the climactic moments when they notice the crack on the wall again leading to Rory being shot. Despite his limited screen time up until this point it's still effective in showing the drama of how he passes and Amy's struggle to remember him as the crack erases him from history.

                  Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes
                  Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
                  Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
                  Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes
                  Series 05 - 0 Strong Episodes so far

                  Comment


                    #24
                    -Vincent and the Doctor-
                    Though broadly telling a fairly generic Who tale where the Doctor once again crosses paths with a historical figure amidst an alien threat, this episode works as a great example of carrying out that type of storyline and doing it justice. It makes the right move of committing the first half hour to the core storyline and then allowing itself time to wrap things up. The entire goodbye sequence and the handling of the character is perfectly done meaning Vincent makes more of a mark than most one and done characters.

                    Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes
                    Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
                    Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
                    Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes
                    Series 05 - 1 Strong Episode so far

                    Comment


                      #25
                      Christopher Eccleston took on the role of The Doctor for just thirteen episodes in the first season of the 2005 series reboot of “Doctor Who”. Eccleston famously has had no desire to return to the role due to behind-the-scenes disagreements that took place on the show – mostly with management at the BBC. In the […]


                      Eccleston finally outright states the obvious as to who he had issues with.


                      -The Lodger-
                      A lot of this is measured by the viewers tolerance of James Corden but this is an episode that's mostly played lightly but works well for what it is and what it sets out to do. They manage to once again foster a good level of banter between the Doctor and Jamie's character within a one and done episode. It's an easy and brisk episode that makes good work of the format though I can't remember if they ever properly pay off on that plot point about someone trying to build a Tardis.

                      Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes
                      Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
                      Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
                      Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes
                      Series 05 - 2 Strong Episodes so far

                      Comment


                        #26
                        -The Pandorica Opens-
                        First part of the closing two parter and we're mostly back into run of the mill territory. As per usual it's all set up, getting everyone in place for the finale and explaining the last of the mysteries before we get to the one with all the action.

                        Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes
                        Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
                        Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
                        Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes
                        Series 05 - 2 Strong Episodes so far

                        Comment


                          #27
                          -The Big Bang-
                          Barring the Xmas special this is the series 5 finale with the Doctor, Amy, Rory and River racing against time to stop the stars themselves being erased from time. It quickly sets up some time travel aspects that are easily resolved stopping it from having the issues of becoming too complicated for it's own good. Smith puts in a good performance here too wrapping up his first stab at the character well though there's a whiff of Tennant about the structure of the episode with a fair bit of time dedicated to pushing for an emotional wrap up. Still, one of the better series finale's

                          Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes
                          Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
                          Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
                          Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes
                          Series 05 - 3 Strong Episodes so far

                          Comment


                            #28
                            Christopher Eccleston took on the role of The Doctor for just thirteen episodes in the first season of the 2005 series reboot of “Doctor Who”. Eccleston famously has had no desire to return to the role due to behind-the-scenes disagreements that took place on the show – mostly with management at the BBC. In the […]


                            I read the above and realised my summation of Ecclestone was quite, quite correct.

                            I mean, what a pretentious wanktard.

                            It's a kids' show. It really is. He was proper minted at the time and verrrrry lucky but he thought he was better.

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                              #29
                              Given how focused his issues are I wonder if they'll ever manage to convince him to appear again given none of the old crew remain in charge.

                              -A Christmas Carol-
                              Smith's first Xmas special and the wrap up of the fifth run is the episode with Michael Gambon that plays out much like the story the episode takes its title from. It plays out in a very predictable manner but it's fun enough with Smith bouncing in and out of past and present to change the past so he can save the crashing ship that Amy and Rory are stuck aboard. Who never completely nails the Xmas specials but this is a pretty reasonable one.

                              Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes
                              Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
                              Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
                              Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes
                              Series 05 - 3 Strong Episodes

                              Comment


                                #30
                                On to Series 6 and we start to get to a point where reassessing becomes all the more intriguing:

                                -The Impossible Astronaut-
                                From here on the show started to frustrate with a reliance on fake out cliffhanger moments but with that element of suspense fully robbed from it, it's much easier to just enjoy the ride. This season opener to a two parter sets several things in motion that run season long but it never feels too slow or too quick paced. It has some lovely imagery to it and is just fun watching everyone enjoy a phase where they were accustomed to their characters but not caught in some massive farewell build up either.

                                Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes
                                Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
                                Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
                                Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes
                                Series 05 - 3 Strong Episodes
                                Series 06 - 1 Strong Episode So Far

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