My huge Doctor Who episode marathon.

[Peter Capaldi Fan]

Into The Dalek - I love this episode. As The Dalek have been around for so many years it is great to see an original story. The concept of going inside the Dalek is certainly original.

Capaldi and Coleman are both excellent. I love the support cast. The writing is excellent (maybe a bit of the humour doesn't work). The setting works. I agree with you this episode definitely needed Capaldi. It wouldn't work with one of the others. 

The concept of what is good is explored well.

Overall 9/10.

I am also in the minority of liking the Clara/Danny relationship.

Nice to know you like this episode so much it influenced your choice of profile name. I think I've posted enough comments on this forum to explain why I chose mine. 

[The Friendly Dalek]

2 minutes ago, Peter Capaldi Fan said:

Into The Dalek - I love this episode. As The Dalek have been around for so many years it is great to see an original story. The concept of going inside the Dalek is certainly original.

Capaldi and Coleman are both excellent. I love the support cast. The writing is excellent (maybe a bit of the humour doesn't work). The setting works. I agree with you this episode definitely needed Capaldi. It wouldn't work with one of the others. 

The concept of what is good is explored well.

Overall 9/10.

I am also in the minority of liking the Clara/Danny relationship.

Nice to know you like this episode so much it influenced your choice of profile name. I think I've posted enough comments on this forum to explain why I chose mine. 

I thought this might have been one we disagreed on, but I guess I was wrong. 

And no, I still don't have any idea what influenced your profile name.

[Peter Capaldi Fan]

9 minutes ago, The Friendly Dalek said:

 

And no, I still don't have any idea what influenced your profile name.

I'll give you a clue 

Never one to miss an opportunity to post a Capaldi gif. 

[natedammit]

11 hours ago, The Friendly Dalek said:

Here's a fun story for you, for those who don't know. This episode was the one I watched right before I decided to make an account on here. I'm awful at coming up with clever and unique usernames for things, and as I had this episode fresh in my mind, I based it on that. 

You're lucky you weren't watching a Jodie Whitaker episode or you could have been called 'The Stupid Tooth Faced Bloke'.

[The Friendly Dalek]

Robot of Sherwood- This was only the third time that I've seen this episode since it aired. This is what I was hoping this marathon would do, change my mind on some episodes. I remember disliking this episode, but watching it again today, I actually rather enjoyed it. 

Capaldi and Coleman are great. This episode is much more comedic in tone, but it works because the majority of the comedy involving The Doctor involves him giving sarcastic comments, so it doesn't break away from his established character. Tom Riley is excellent as Robin Hood. The rest of the cast are fine, but no one really stands out. 

The plot isn't anything special, and the pacing is off at some points. The villains aren't interesting, and some of the editing doesn't work. This episode looks gorgeous, and the direction is good. 

Overall, this is a fun episode, which has lots to like, but it's far from perfect.

Overall rating- 6/10.

Edited July 14, 2019 by The Friendly Dalek

[Peter Capaldi Fan]

Robot of Sherwood - I really thought this would be our first disagreement in the Capaldi era. I love this episode. 

The humour works well - it's just right for Capaldi's doctor. Capaldi and Coleman are great. It's a fun story - a bit predictable but a fun episode was needed early in the Capaldi era.

Tom Riley is good as Robin Hood. Ben Miller is suitably camp as the Sheriff of Nottingham.

I even enjoy the robots.

Overall 7/10

[The Friendly Dalek]

Listen- This is one of the best stories of the Moffat era in my opinion. I adore this story.

Peter Capaldi is at his best here, and his speeches in this episode are some of his best. Jenna Coleman is also brilliant. This episode has a very small cast, and it is better for it. It allows for more time to be focused on the development on the story and leads. 

This episode is incredibly well directed, everything looks gorgeous. The pacing is excellent and the script is intelligent. Sometimes Moffat tries to be too intelligent for his own good, but he succeeds in crafting an intellectual story here which raises some very interesting questions. The exploration of fear is very interesting to me.

I often hear people complain about the relationship between Clara and Danny, and if you don't like it, that's totally fine. For me, that relationship is one of the best parts of series 8. I love this story, and it helps add some much needed emotional weight and personal stakes. It helps to add more to Clara's character, and Danny is a great addition to the series. There is also some development of The Doctor, and whilst I'm not a huge fan of what Moffat did, I appreciate that he tries to develop him without contradicting anything we already know about him. 

Overall- 10/10

I can watch this episode over and over again, and I love it just as much every time. A true highlight of this series. 

[Peter Capaldi Fan]

Listen  - Not really much I can add to your review. I love this episode. Definitely one of my favourites. A brilliant performance by Capaldi and Coleman. 

An interesting way to explore fear as you say. 

Excellent writing and pacing. I love the part with the Doctor as a child. Great twist at the end. 

Overall 10/10.

A well deserved first 10 for the Capaldi era. 

[The Friendly Dalek]

Time Heist- This is the first dud of the Capaldi era in my opinion. I'm not a fan of this one. 

As always, Capaldi and Coleman are fantastic. Unfortunately none of the side characters are anywhere near as interesting. This is yet another example of a Doctor Who episode which has an interesting concept, but the execution was off. 

The Teller is an excellent looking monster, and what it does is interesting, but it isn't utilised enough in order to be hugely memorable. This whole episode looks great, and the direction has a great visual flair to it. The editing is also good, as is the pacing. This episode really suffers from a poor script and poor performances. Although it's somewhat enjoyable to watch thanks to the snappy editing and pacing, there's absolutely nothing which makes me ever want to watch this one. 

Overall- 4/10.

Edited July 21, 2019 by The Friendly Dalek

[Peter Capaldi Fan]

Time Heist - Here it is. Our first disagreement of the Capaldi era. I really enjoy this one. 

Capaldi and Coleman are both excellent. I am really enjoying the darker Doctor. It's a fun episode. The pacing and visuals are great. The comedy moments work well within the rest of the story. The Teller is an interesting concept though not fully utilised. There is a nice twist at the end. 

Of the main support cast Keeley Hawes is the weak link. She is a bit too much of a pantomime villain. But I think both Jonathan Bailey and Pippa Bennett-Warner put in strong performances and I like both characters.

Overall 7/10. 

[The Friendly Dalek]

The Caretaker- This is a vast improvement over Time Heist, and it is another of my favourites of this series. 

This shouldn't really work in Doctor Who. This episode feels like a rom-com, focusing mainly on Clara's life and relationships with Danny and The Doctor. For some reason, I really enjoy how it was done. Gareth Roberts and Steven Moffat did a great job with this script. Despite how little actually happens, the pacing feels great. The leads are amazing. I love getting to see The Doctor in unique situations, and seeing him go undercover as a school caretaker is brilliant. Peter Capaldi handles the comedy excellently. Overall this is a very funny episode, and for once most of the jokes land. Coleman and Anderson are great. Usually I'm not a fan of romances in Doctor Who, but I think that the relationship between these two is easily one of the best that the show has given us. This episode looks brilliant, and is very well shot and edited. 

I have one issue with this episode, and it is unfortunately a major one. The villain. The Skovox Blitzer (which is a rubbish name in my opinion) looks cheap and uninspired, and it does literally nothing interesting. This is another case of a villain being shoe-horned in purely because there needs to be some sort of threat to move the plot forward. However, as this episode focuses on the character drama between the leads, this monster is bland and poorly written because so little of the episode focuses on it. 

Overall- 8/10.

This is a very fun story, with some great moments of both comedy and drama. Unfortunately it is massively let down by a terrible villain. 

[Peter Capaldi Fan]

The Caretaker  - It's nice to see someone else likes this episode as it does tend to be very underrated.

Capaldi is excellent and he shows how well he can do the comedic side of the Doctor. I have mentioned before that I like the Clara/Danny relationship. It forms a big part of the overall Series 8 arc. Coleman and Anderson are great. The rest of the supporting cast are just there. You could have had any characters/actors. Not saying they were bad just didn't add to the plot. 

Pacing is good and the episode is well written. 

Couldn't agree with you more about the Skovox Blitzer. A good concept poorly executed and looks rubbish. 

Overall 8/10

[The Friendly Dalek]

Kill The Moon- How we went from the quality of The Caretaker to this I still don't understand. 

I'm sure Peter Harness is a fine writer, but this episode really does him no favours. This is an atrociously written episode. The idea of spiders on the moon is a good one, but that's the only thing I can praise about this. The idea of the moon being an egg is incredibly stupid. This show requires a certain level of suspension of disbelief, but sometimes it gives us an idea which is so incomprehensible that it just does not work. The moon being an egg is one of those ideas. 

The cast are bland, and the characters are uninteresting. Courtney is one of the most annoying character Who has given us. I can't stand that character. She was annoying in The Caretaker, and she's even worse here. 

The pacing is awful, and the visuals are mixed. There's nothing I like about this one except for Capaldi and Coleman. Easily the worst episode of this series, and one of the worst Who episodes ever in my opinion.

Overall- 1/10.

Edited August 2, 2019 by The Friendly Dalek

[Peter Capaldi Fan]

Kill The Moon  - There are parts of this episode I like. It gets off to a good start. I like the Moon setting. Hermione Norris and Ellis George are ok. Capaldi and Coleman are excellent. The scene where they argue in the TARDIS is brilliantly performed. 

I really want to like this episode in it's entirety. But I can't. Why? Because of the stupid idea that the Moon is an egg. For the love of all that's holy who thought that would be a good idea? And because of that it spoils the whole story. 

Overall 3/10 - Purely for Capaldi and Coleman being able to put in great performances when working with such dross.

[The Friendly Dalek]

Mummy On The Orient Express- And we're right back to an amazing episode following on from a bad one.

I could talk for ages about the opening sequence alone. The tone, the set and costume design, the reveal of the train being in space, the clever use of a timer, it's perfect. Other than a few small issues, I think the whole episode is this great.

Capaldi and Coleman are at their peak, and there's finally a supporting cast which is memorable. Frank Skinner and Daisy Beaumont are the standouts, but everyone is great. The relationship between Clara and Maisie is really nice, as are the interactions between The Doctor and Perkins.

The Mummy is a gorgeously designed villain, and the timer really adds tension, and for once we have a villain which feels threatening, which is something that this particular series has been lacking. The train setting makes this seem like something we could have easily seen in the classic era, a small, claustrophobic set which has a small cast. This works in the episode's favour, as it gives it a great atmosphere which other episodes this series have lacked. The biggest issue I have with this episode us how little we learn about the true villain, Gus. I was hoping we could get at least some closure on that, and find out more about who it was. This doesn't affect the episode itself, because the resolution is still strong, it is just something I would have liked to have seen, and because of that I'm not going to deduct any points for it.

What else is there to say? This episode is my favourite of series 8, one of my favourites of Capaldi's era, and one of my favourite modern Who stories.

Overall- 10/10.

[Peter Capaldi Fan]

Mummy on the Orient Express  - A very rapid return to form. This is what I consider a classic Doctor Who story  - well written,  well acted but a simple story. 

I love the setting and the visuals are excellent. Capaldi and Coleman are brilliant as usual and the interactions between them are well done. This is the story where Capaldi for me really starts to own the role of The Doctor. He can channel previous incarnations into his performance without looking like a cheap imitation. 

All the support cast are well used and well written. 

The Mummy is a great threat and cleverly done with the countdown and what it represents. 

I agree we don't get any closure on who Gus is and his motives. Just seems to get forgotten but doesn't spoil the whole effect. 

Overall 10/10

[Bumper8]

Some interesting Doctor Who rumours flying around...

[Peter Capaldi Fan]

1 hour ago, Bumper8 said:

Some interesting Doctor Who rumours flying around...

The sort of rumours, if true, bring a smile to your face?

[wjbleming]

1 hour ago, Bumper8 said:

Some interesting Doctor Who rumours flying around...

And at the moment they're only rumours. Chances are there's nothing to them and people are stirring things up.

Edited August 9, 2019 by wjbleming

[Peter Capaldi Fan]

3 minutes ago, wjbleming said:

And at the moment they're only rumours. Chances are there's nothing to them and people are stirring things up.

Let's just enjoy the moment for a little longer. 

[The Friendly Dalek]

Flatline- Jamie Mathieson somehow managed to deliver back to back greats. I love this episode. Not quite as much as MOTOE, but it's still a brilliant episode. 

Capaldi and Coleman are brilliant, and this episode took a risk by putting Clara at the forefront. Other episodes have done this in a less satisfying way, but here it works perfectly. Side-lining The Doctor is something I usually don't like, but the way it's done here is great. The shrunken TARDIS idea is a unique one, and it leads to some very funny moments. This is one of the funniest episodes of this season, and Capaldi's era in general. The dialogue is golden. 

This episode is very well shot and directed, and the pacing is excellent. The Boneless look brilliant, and are some of the most unique monsters that the show has given us in recent seasons. The supporting cast are fine, but the characters aren't anything amazing. They aren't bad by any means, but nothing is hugely memorable about them. I include Rigsy in that. I don't have a clue why they decided to bring this character back in series 9, and although I do prefer the character then, his first appearance isn't one I particularly like. 

Special mention has to go to Capaldi's ending speech. "The man that stops the monsters." I get chills every time I watch that scene. If anyone still doubts Capaldi's ability as The Doctor by this point, then that scene surely has to make them change their mind. The majority of the episode focuses on Coleman, who is fantastic throughout, but Capaldi really does steal the show in every scene he has. 

Overall- 8/10.

[Peter Capaldi Fan]

Flatline - Another one of my favourite episodes. It was a potential risk but one that pays off.

Coleman is excellent taking on more of a lead role but doesn't overshadow Capaldi. Joivan Wade is likeable enough as Rigsy. I can understand why the character was brought back but more on that in the relevant episode. The rest of the support cast are adequate but with no outstanding performances.

The pacing is excellent. The setting and direction work well. Mathieson has written another strong episode. The Boneless are a unique addition. I do believe they work best as a one off threat.

This episode really sealed Capaldi as one of my favourite Doctors. He hasn't made top spot for me at this point. But his "man who stops the monsters" speech really does showcase his Doctor. An episode I can happily watch again.

Overall 9/10

 

[The Friendly Dalek]

In The Forest Of The Night- The winning streak has ended. Not only that, but the quality has crashed immensely.

I can't stand this episode. Nothing works in it.

Capaldi and Coleman save it, as they do with every bad episode. Samuel Anderson is the only other actor who manages to give a good performance here. I don't know wether to blame the actors too much for this, because the script they were given was awful. The writing and pacing is atrocious. This episode bores me so much, I honestly struggled to get through it when I watched it earlier. Somehow it makes 45 minutes feel a lot longer. 

The tree plot is incredibly stupid, and if it wasn't for the egg moon, this would be the silliest idea the show has had for a long time. It's overly simple, boring and has an awful ending. Since this episode is resolved without The Doctor actually doing anything, the whole thing just feels inconsequential because pretty much nothing happens for the whole run time. 

I don't need to go more in depth than that, and this episode doesn't deserve my time. It's garbage, and is second only to Kill The Moon as the worst that this series has to offer (although there really isn't much between those two). Not only is it one of the worst of this series, but it's one of my least favourite episodes in general.

Overall- 1/10.

When this series hits its peak, we get stories like Listen and Mummy. Yet somehow, this same series has also given us this and KTM. The massive fluctuations in quality are more noticeable when you watch the episodes in order like this. There's a couple of good episodes, then we get pulled down to the level of episodes like these.

[Peter Capaldi Fan]

In The Forest Of The Night  - Wow! You really don't like this one do you Mr Dalek? 

Unpopular opinion (and I am probably in a minority of one) - I don't mind this episode. It certainly suffers from it's position in the series with 2 fantastic episodes before and the finale after. Granted it's a silly story but it's fun. Capaldi and Coleman are their usual excellent selves. Samuel Anderson is great and the kids are likeable enough. 

There is some nice character development for the Danny/Clara relationship. This was needed before the events of the finale. 

The ending was a bit weak but I found the pacing just right. This is a relatively middle of the road episode - by no means the best but I can think of many worse ones.

Be very boring if we agreed every time. I had a strong feeling this was going to be one of the episodes where we didn't. 

Overall 5/10

[The Friendly Dalek]

Im glad that you were able to find something to enjoy in this one.  

For me personally this is a bottom of the barrel episode, and I will most likely never rewatch it. There are some stories that I too think are worse than this one, but they only beat this one by a small margin. I can't stand this episode, but it's good to see that some people like it more than I do.