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Doctor Who Regeneration 03: Reversing the Polarity

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    Knock Knock
    A shot at a bit of a horror house episode goes unused in this one where Bill moves in with some randomers and they take on a massive house that begins to consume them within the first day. Too many cheesy effects and a lack of suspenseful build up knock this on the head quickly, it plays out fine and is entertaining enough but the bugs, the too obvious plotting and the wooden woman keep the cheese factor too high.

    Oxygen
    A regular yarn for Who, the Doctor and Bill arrive on a mining station where the crew are being picked off by a threat. The spin this time is that the crew has to earn their oxygen and their suits are killing them building towards an outcome that is again obvious. Like the one above, it's serviceable and mostly notable for how brutally it treats Bill who by all rights shouldn't want to travel anymore after this one.

    Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 4 For Eccleston)
    Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
    Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
    Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes (Total 15 For Tennant)
    Series 05 - 3 Strong Episodes
    Series 06 - 5 Strong Episodes
    Series 07 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 12 For Smith)
    Series 08 - 2 Strong Episodes
    Series 09 - 3 Strong Episodes
    Series 10 - 0 Strong Episodes So Far

    Comment


      Extremis
      A rare feat in modern Who, this is the first episode in a three part story. With the Doctor hiding that he's blind, they all get caught up in a mystery that leads those who discover the truth to kill themselves. The trouble again is that there's no intrigue as the episode is more focused on it's individual final reveal that the world is simulated more than it is anything else. The enemies are playing out all scenarios to see what invasion approach works best but that set up doesn't make the next episodes logic work any better. The Matrix style reveal doesn't land making this feel like unnecessary padding to an enemy that doesn't warrant such an extended storyline.

      The Pyramid at the End of the World
      There is no logic to the bad guys planning. After the previous episode the bad guys can only invade if given permission, this despite their method of invasion convinces the world that it hasn't in fact been invaded making the permission angle redundant. They also need the permission to be out of love but the love doesn't have to be for them which undermines the reasoning they use, the love they move under is Bill's love for the Doctor - a love the rest of the world doesn't even know about so logically wouldn't give a fig about submitting their freedom to even if they were aware they'd become slaves. It's messy, a set up that is largely geared towards creating a scenario whereby the Doctor can regain his sight.

      Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 4 For Eccleston)
      Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
      Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
      Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes (Total 15 For Tennant)
      Series 05 - 3 Strong Episodes
      Series 06 - 5 Strong Episodes
      Series 07 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 12 For Smith)
      Series 08 - 2 Strong Episodes
      Series 09 - 3 Strong Episodes
      Series 10 - 0 Strong Episodes So Far

      What I've remembered is that S11 was just an early idea when I started working through the series again. I started all this directly due to S10, the sense that the show had lost something and now I'm watching through Ep8 and nothing strong has come up yet. Capaldi's run as a whole is definitely a dip in quality to those before as well. S10... hopefully the rewatch of the later episodes brings up a gem but there's a definite vibe that Moffat's heart just wasn't in it anymore.

      Comment


        Big push to wrap up S10 continues:

        The Lie of the Land
        The third part of the story see's Bill navigating a ruled Earth a bit like when Martha did the same in S3 but here it's done very simply and she's quickly met by Nardol. Though not perfect the episode is surprisingly the first strong one of the season as rather than over focus on working out the enemy the story instead places the focus on Bill's trust in the Doctor to save the day. It builds to the first key scene when she finds him and he immediately betrays her, it's the first time in the season where Bill isn't a fairly generic companion. Her reaction is spot on and it works because of her responsibility for the situation. It's played as her having unshakeable faith in him, a faith that created the problem and that she still holds. He shatters it but instead of breaking she feels that if he isn't going to be the saviour figure she thought he was then he will certainly be the greatest threat so she guns him down. It's a test, all faked to see her reaction, and odd test as well but it stresses the character in an interesting way. The second is towards the end when she has to pull out the sacrifice card, for the second time the show quite plainly treats Bill as though she's coldly expendable but again it's handled well.

        Empress of Mars
        The Doctor and Bill meet Victorian soldiers on Mars. It's one of those episodes where the writer has come up with a random idea and bent a story around it to justify the simple idea rather than admit that the original novelty didn't warrant and episode. This is another Ice Warriors episode and largely it's the exact same beats as the Smith one of the Sub.

        The Eaters of Light
        Another by the numbers episode, it doesn't contribute anything to the arc other than briefly showing the softening of Missy towards the end of the episode. Scottish villager children face off Roman children as a monster roams the hills. Forgettable stuff.

        Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 4 For Eccleston)
        Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
        Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
        Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes (Total 15 For Tennant)
        Series 05 - 3 Strong Episodes
        Series 06 - 5 Strong Episodes
        Series 07 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 12 For Smith)
        Series 08 - 2 Strong Episodes
        Series 09 - 3 Strong Episodes
        Series 10 - 1 Strong Episode So Far

        Comment


          World Enough and Time
          This one comes close at times. Despite knowing the reveal of Simm's Master it's still handled really well and the central concept of seeing the original Cyberman's creation as well as a space ship affected by the time dilation effects of a Black Hole are handled well. The idea of Bill waiting for ten years isn't so well handled, she's physically and mentally unaffected by her situation and incarceration but it's all there to build to her demise in one of the most brutal companion deaths Who has done as she's converted into a Cyberman. The episode builds to that reveal but doesn't really get the chance to properly deal with it making it too much about set up than delivery but it's a solid ep.

          The Doctor Falls

          In terms of threat the episode doesn't really deliver, the Cyberman advance rapidly but are destroyed incredibly easily at every turn. It's somewhat dark how Bill is largely presented with no way back and the Doctor ends the episode by leaving Nardole to eventually be converted to a Cyberman as well without much consideration. However, a lot of it character play with Bill struggling to accept her conversion and the Doctor succumbing to the realisation that he's once again in a situation where he will lose everything. Both companions are lost and Missy leaves him thinking she has turned against him (though he'd be equally distraught at her actual ending), it lends itself to some nice character moments and sets up the scenario of Capaldi's final episode well.

          Twice Upon a Time
          The Xmas special where the dying Doctor decides it's time that he joins his companions in death. The Tardis disagrees though and forces him out into the South Pole where he crosses path with a WW1 soldier and the First Doctor who has decided the same. There's no bad guy, the whole episode is basically a farewell that resets the Doctor, with Capaldi's run featuring a Doctor who is colder and less kind than usual this episode reteaches him the core principles of being the Doctor which on revisit pays off really well because it comes across like it's informing the tone and direction that S11 and Whittaker takes with the character. I wasn't that hot for this episode first time around but on rewatch it's actually really good and nice farewell to the era and incarnation. Series 10 has its moments, it's just a run that makes less of a polarising impression than other series.

          Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 4 For Eccleston)
          Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
          Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
          Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes (Total 15 For Tennant)
          Series 05 - 3 Strong Episodes
          Series 06 - 5 Strong Episodes
          Series 07 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 12 For Smith)
          Series 08 - 2 Strong Episodes
          Series 09 - 3 Strong Episodes
          Series 10 - 3 Strong Episodes (Total 8 for Capaldi)

          Only the rewatch for Jodie's first series left to go now, will be a much slower rewatch as once I hit halfway the missus needs to see the eps for the first time too.

          Comment


            The Woman Who Fell to Earth
            On rewatch I still have absolutely no idea how the Doctor is supposed to have survived the fall from the height of the last ep to crashing through the train roof in this one but I guess it's just one to file away given it's hardly the least believable thing about Who. On second viewing this opening flows a little better even if it's still a bit of a plod. Having some prior familiarity with the characters helps even if it means you're over looking things rather than the show having to deliver on them. In terms of introducing new companions or a new Doctor this is one of the weaker examples the show has delivered but likewise there's nothing awful about it either.

            Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 4 For Eccleston)
            Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
            Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
            Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes (Total 15 For Tennant)
            Series 05 - 3 Strong Episodes
            Series 06 - 5 Strong Episodes
            Series 07 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 12 For Smith)
            Series 08 - 2 Strong Episodes
            Series 09 - 3 Strong Episodes
            Series 10 - 3 Strong Episodes (Total 8 for Capaldi)
            Series 11 - 0 Strong Episodes So Far

            Comment


              The Ghost Monument
              The distant world set second episode features the cast caught up in a race to reach the Tardis and despite the different setting it still feels a very similar level of quality as the first episode. It's light, easy to watch but feels shallow and a bit unengaging. There's one or two decent character moments but nothing with any particular weight for anyone to shine in.

              Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 4 For Eccleston)
              Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
              Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
              Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes (Total 15 For Tennant)
              Series 05 - 3 Strong Episodes
              Series 06 - 5 Strong Episodes
              Series 07 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 12 For Smith)
              Series 08 - 2 Strong Episodes
              Series 09 - 3 Strong Episodes
              Series 10 - 3 Strong Episodes (Total 8 for Capaldi)
              Series 11 - 0 Strong Episodes So Far

              Comment


                Rosa
                For the first 15 minutes on rewatching this one I wavered on whether it would hold up. I'm starting to find Jodie a little difficult to watch through her lines at times as she just channels chirpy northerner through them and some lines don't land right. Ryan and Yaz's actors simply are the weakest modern Who has had as companions, it's quite plain as to how Walsh out performs everyone else with relatively little which is something I never thought I'd write. But, once events get into gear, greaser cheesey bad guy apart, things click in nicely with some great character led scenes in a slow burn episode that manages to convey the gravity of the situation they find themselves in.

                Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 4 For Eccleston)
                Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
                Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
                Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes (Total 15 For Tennant)
                Series 05 - 3 Strong Episodes
                Series 06 - 5 Strong Episodes
                Series 07 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 12 For Smith)
                Series 08 - 2 Strong Episodes
                Series 09 - 3 Strong Episodes
                Series 10 - 3 Strong Episodes (Total 8 for Capaldi)
                Series 11 - 1 Strong Episode So Far

                Comment


                  Three episodes watched over the weekend and that's it for a while again, I'm up to where the missus has seen so will have to wait till she gets to watching the remaining 5 to wrap this up:

                  Arachnids in the UK

                  Yaz's episode, or more specifically one that orbits the character. On rewatch there is still the issue that Yaz lacks any real reason to be in the show and even when an episode is moulded around her she continues to exist as more of an observer to other character. Here it's her Mum and the US business boss that the episode quickly focuses on and two eps down its her grandmother and her past, the others being more involved and having more character moments than the one it's supposed to focus on. This one, with its big CG spiders, effectively recycles the moon egg episode but in a much less interesting way and is pretty much one of the weaker eps in this batch.

                  The Tsuranga Conundrum
                  Definitely feels like the first episode where Whittaker attempts to step out from the line up and to try and take charge of the screen. Not entirely successful because the episode, whilst fine, is too franticly paced and lacks much else for her to do but look pained and wide eyed. I find with Whittaker she suffers from a similar issue that Eccleston had where for several episodes he came across as too overly simplistic, like simply acting like a goofy cheery northerner was enough and it wasn't until halfway through the run that you really started to get moments where that veil dropped. Maybe the back end will remind me of something but these eps put it back in my head that they don't give Whittaker those moments, she broadly just recycles that chirpy Northerner approach and it's why she's still yet to really land the role.

                  Demons of the Punjab
                  It was thanks to rewatching these in a row that it stood out that the idea of aliens recording the final moments of mankind was done as recently as Capaldi's finale 6 episodes ago which lessens the twist. This is easily still a strong episode and I think it's probably the strongest of the whole run, the show again excelling in period set tales and this one would have worked even if the Doctor Who aspects had been stripped out because the central story is compelling enough. It's old conversation but I can't make my mind escape how poor Yaz and Ryan are as actors because this episode again shows how one off guest stars who aren't even household names outclass them so consistently and easily. Halfway and 2 strong eps locked in though which equals Tennant and Capaldi's debut runs.

                  Series 01 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 4 For Eccleston)
                  Series 02 - 2 Strong Episodes
                  Series 03 - 3 Strong Episodes
                  Series 04 - 8 Strong Episodes (Total 15 For Tennant)
                  Series 05 - 3 Strong Episodes
                  Series 06 - 5 Strong Episodes
                  Series 07 - 4 Strong Episodes (Total 12 For Smith)
                  Series 08 - 2 Strong Episodes
                  Series 09 - 3 Strong Episodes
                  Series 10 - 3 Strong Episodes (Total 8 for Capaldi)
                  Series 11 - 2 Strong Episodes So Far

                  Comment


                    Doctor Who The BBC has released the first two photos from the twelfth season of “Doctor Who” which confirms showrunner Chris Chibnall is loosening his ‘no old monsters’ mantra of the first season as the shots show new Doc Jodie Whittaker coming face-to-face with Tennant-era space cops The Judoon. [Source: The BBC] Jessica Jones Netflix […]


                    Series 12 looks to be stepping closer back towards the mythology as its first images show the return of the Judoon

                    Comment


                      I never bothered with the current gen of Doctor Who. I just never got round to it. But for a bit of random nostalgia I watched Series 19 (Peter Davison's first season) last week. It's a slow starter but gathers momentum with a few decent stories (The Visitation, Black Orchid, Earthshock). I was 10 when this was first broadcast so it was nice to revisit.

                      Then slightly more in the mood I watched the first couple of eps of Eccleston's run. The first ep was very good. The second ... okay. I may continue through at least to the end of Tennant's run. But I'm slightly tempted to cherry pick the best eps.

                      Comment


                        I thought the Eccleston and Tennant's runs were really good.
                        Matt Smith's also had its moments and I thought Amy Pond and Clara Oswald were interesting characters too and the Doctor needs somebody interesting to bounce off.

                        Totally lost interest somewhere in Capaldi's run and I haven't got back into it.
                        It used to be "must-see" telly in our house, so it's a real shame.

                        Comment


                          Actually, I should mention that Christopher Eccleston has just said that he suffered from depression and anxiety and considered suicide during his time on "Doctor Who" and "The A Word" and is on antidepressants.

                          Hats off to him for opening up about it and getting something done in the first place and I'm glad mental health is getting more exposure these days:

                          Comment


                            Eccleston-Tennant-Smith
                            All three era's are great. There's some overly cheesy and childish eps in there but broadly they're great runs and I keenly add Smith to that as I think there was a real weight to his era where the shadow of Tennant cast darkly over him but rewatching those Smith seasons in later years has really lifted them. Capaldi and Whittaker though, well today is a reminder I need to finish rewatching Whittakers latest season but yeah - the show isn't what it was.

                            Comment


                              I finished season 1 (new era) yesterday and thought it was really good. Had I been watching at time of broadcast I'd have been very disappointed to learn it would be Eccleston's only one... but great as he was, and he was great, that season had a number of aspects that made it so good and those carry straight over into season 2, which is off to a great start, 2 eps in
                              Last edited by Atticus; 23-10-2019, 11:50.

                              Comment


                                Doctor Who BBC and BBC America have both announced that a major tease related to the twelfth season (and second overall for current star Jodie Whittaker) of “Doctor Who” is coming on November 23rd. We’ve already been warned the new season won’t air until early 2020, so speculation is high it’ll be the new season […]


                                The BBC are teasing a Doctor Who related reveal on 23 November, best bet seems to be this years Christmas Special

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